The Street Rat & The Prince
by sunshineoptimismandangels
Summary: Kurt is a Prince being forced to marry against his will. Blaine is a street rat, just trying to get by. An evil sorcerer, unscrupulous guards and an unbending law stand work to keep them apart, but maybe with a little magic their love will win. Klaine/Aladdin!Au
1. Prologue

For a long time now I've wanted to write a Klaine Aladdin!AU but wasn't sure how to go about it. I had the opportunity to watch the 1992 Disney classic the other day and it re-sparked this desire and gave me some ideas on how to make it work for our favorite boys. So here I am.

Before we start though, for you fans of Aladdin I need to you to know that I will be straying from the story some. There were things that needed to change for this to work in a non-cartoonish version. So don't be mad! Also, I left out some characters that are pure Disney goodness in the film, but didn't work in a written story. Again, sorry about that. And I've changed the setting from Arabia to some un-named land, because I don't know enough about Arabia to do it justice.

Lastly, I don't own Glee or its characters or Aladdin or Disney or any of that good stuff. I'm just writing this for fun and the hopes that someone else may enjoy this (un-betaed) story too. Thanks!

* * *

_It was a dark night, where a dark man waited, with a dark purpose._

William had always been an ambitious man, always looking for a way up, for something better for something _greater_. It was his ambition, and his dabbling in the black arts, that allowed him to rise through the ranks and grab the position of Royal Vizier to the Sultan. He was the right hand to the most powerful man in the land. The Sultan listened to his advice and took it, policies were signed by the Sultan, but written by William. Laws were made and broken by the Sultan, in name, but really it was William pulling the strings.

The Sultan was an easily swayed man. Of course he hadn't always been that way. Burt use to be a strong, compassionate leader that was very involved in the running of his kingdom, but when the Queen died the Sultan was lost, until William stepped up at his Royal Vizier, between Burt's grief and William's magic, Sultan Burt was soon putty in his Royal Vizier's hands.

It should have been good enough. William should have been happy. But it wasn't enough, nothing was ever enough. Why should he, William Schuester, a powerful sorcerer have to take second bidding to a leader he considered an imbecile?

That's what led him to this. William slid off of his horse and waited back straight and tall and a staff clutched in his hand. The staff had the head of a snake with eyes that looked like they could stare right through you.

A squat filthy mad hopped off of a camel made his way to him.

"Do you have it?" William asked in a deep, emotionless voice.

"I had to slit a few throats." The man said with a gleam in his eyes as he ran his finger across his neck like a knife. "But I have it."

Out of his tattered and dusty robe he pulled out what looked to be a piece of jewelry, it flashed bright in the light of the moon.

William held his hand out for it, but the man snatched it back.

"No no. Not until I get my reward."

William rolled his eyes and quickly grabbed the item from the man's grubby hands.

"Oh don't worry." William said with a sneer. "You'll get what's coming to you."

With that he pulled something out of his own much more expensive and clean robe. The other half of the trinket the thief had brought him. William held up the two-halves of a golden scarab beetle. He put them together and a bright light shot out of the now complete beetle.

William let go and the beetle stayed in the air, buzzing its golden wings. And then it was off, both William and the man raced after it until the beetle split again and landed in the sand. For a moment William thought he'd done something wrong, this surely couldn't be the place. But then the halves of the scarab started to glow and burn red, the earth started to tremble and with a rush of wind and a crack of thunder something started to emerge from the sand.

The man let out a cry of fear and ran to stand behind William. William though, smiled as the sand moved and grew and bubbled until it formed itself into a massive head of a lion. It had to be more than 30 feet tall, looming over William and the thief, its eyes the glowing red halves of the beetle that held led them here.

And then the sand lion spoke. It's voice thundering and rough like the sand it was made of. "Who disturbs my slumber?"

The man just cowered behind William until he grabbed his arm and yanked him forward. "This is it." William hissed at him. "Your reward waits. Take what you will, just bring me the lamp!"

The man gulped, but nodded, his greed overtaking his fear. He slowly walked up to the sand creature. "It is I, Gazeem, a humble thief."

The Lion spoke again its voice making the ground shutter. "Know this. Only one may enter here. One whose worth lies far within. A diamond in the rough.

Gazeem turned to William with a questioning look.

"Go on! The treasure is yours!"

Gazzem's lips twitched into a smile and he rubbed his hands together as he stepped forward. The lion's massive mouth had opened wide revealing the entrance to the Cave of Wonders. Gazeem hesitated only a moment before placing a foot inside of the entrance.

That is all it took.

Suddenly the lion head roared and started to collapse, tons of sand falling over Gazeem. He tried for a moment to run, but it was no use, the sand swirled and sucked him under. The lion growled as it crumbled, "_Seek thee out, the diamond in the rough_."

Within moments the entrance to the Cave of Wonders disappeared. The sand smooth and still like nothing had even happened. The thief was long gone.

The two halves of the golden scarab beetle laid in the sand looking like nothing more than normal trinkets. William walked forward and grabbed the pieces and clutched them in his hand, anger thrumming in him. He shouldn't have been surprised that Gazeem was unworthy, but still he didn't take disappointment well.

He looked out across the dark desert, it wasn't over yet.

"Only one may enter." He whispered to himself. "I must find this one, this..._diamond in the rough_."


	2. Street Rat

Blaine's feet pounded against the hard sandy ground as he sped through the marketplace, dodging left and ducking right, under a cart and then leaping over a stray dog. He didn't know if the guards were still behind him or not, but he wasn't going to slow himself down by checking.

Mike sprinted by his side, keeping up step for step. "Do you think we've lost 'em?" He asked as they spun around a fish stand and ducked down an ally.

"I don't know!" Blaine answered, his muscles getting tired but the adrenaline in his veins keeping him going. "Hunter was with them."

"Well damn!" Mike cried.

Blaine knew that Mike understood what that meant. Hunter was the Captain of the Royal Guards and he had it out for Blaine. It was a game of cat and mouse with Hunter and Blaine, except Blaine knew he was always the mouse. If Hunter ever won, Blaine was done for.

He and Mike turned the corner and found themselves in a busy market place. They elbowed their way through the crowd, Blaine saying "Excuse me! Pardon Me!" The whole time. He may be a thief, but there was no reason to be unkind about it. They made there way to a quiet street and then stopped to lean against a wall.

"I think we lost them!" Mike said.

"Victory!" Blaine laughed and held the loaf of bread he'd stolen above his head triumphantly.

"Not so fast street rat." Blaine and Mike turned to see Hunter and a handful of his men standing there blocking their exit. Mike and Blaine were a little winded but Hunter and his men seemed like they were about to collapse, panting and holding their sides.

Hunter drew his sword and pointed it towards Blaine, but quick as lightning Mike spun and ducked hitting the guard to Hunter's right and grabbing his sword. He in turn pointed it at Hunter.

"He's got a sword!" One of the guards cried fearfully.

Hunter sighed, "You idiot! We've all got swords!"

The half dozen men around Hunter all drew their sharp blades and Mike laughed nervously and placed his sword on the ground.

Blaine's pulse was racing. All of this for a loaf of bread? Surely the Royal Guard had something better to do.

"Hey now guys." Blaine said raising his hands and giving them his best charming smile. "I'm sure we can work this all out."

"Not this time." Hunter said leering and walking closer to Blaine.

"Come on, we've got to steal to eat, got to eat to live." Blaine said eyeing the sword that was still on the ground. Hunter laughed and took another step forward.

This was just what Blaine was waiting for, an opening in the formation of guards. He quickly glanced at Mike and knew that he saw it to. In a flash Blaine kicked the handle of the sword still on the ground with his heel making it flip into the air were Blaine caught it. He waved it back and forth as he and Mike dove for the part between the guards, luckily dodging pass the one who had lost his weapon. Then he turned and threw the guard's sword, it spun through the air and pinned Hunter's sleeve to the wall.

Hunter growled in rage as Mike and Blaine made their escape.

It would take the guards' seconds to unpin their Captain and pursue them again, but Blaine had a plan.

"Follow me!" He called to Mike who hurried after him. Blaine quickly looked around and then his eyes found what they were looking for.

"Up?" Blaine asked, lifting an eyebrow and nodding towards some crates stacked by a wall of a house.

"Up." Mike answered with a smile.

They ran up to the crates and used them to help get to the ledge. Soon they were on a rooftop still running. They leaped from roof to roof until they got to some lines of laundry drying between buildings, Blaine grabbed the ends of a rug and used it to zip down the line to the ground, Mike following suit.

When they got to the bottom they held their stomachs and laughed.

"That was so close!" Mike said, "But did you see Hunter's face when you pinned him? Almost makes it worth it!"

"And the guard when you disarmed him, 'He's got a sword!' I almost burst out laughing right then!" Blaine whipped his eyes and sighed. "It's getting harder though." He said sobering.

"Yeah, but for now, we eat!" Mike smiled; it was hard to get him down.

Blaine nodded and tore the loaf in half giving the larger potion to Mike who immediately bit into it. Blaine was about to do the same when he glanced up. Two small children stood nearby, their hands in a trashcan. It was easy to tell by their eyes that they were afraid, they'd been caught going through someone's trash and feared they'd get in trouble. It was also easy to see that they were starving; their cheeks were shallow and their eyes too big.

Blaine's heart fell. He looked down at his bread and them back at the Children. The smallest of the two, a little boy started forward, eyes on Blaine's meal, but the other one, probably his big sister fearfully pulled him back.

Blaine glanced at Mike who was slowly chewing his first bite of bread, savoring it. Mike looked at Blaine and then the kids. "No. No way." He said. "I'm just as hungry as they are. _We earned this_."

Blaine nodded. He couldn't ask his hungry friend to go without food again. Blaine slowly approached the children.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." He said and held out his half of the loaf. "Here, you can have this."

The little girl looked skeptical, but the little boy's eyes lit up.

"It's okay." Blaine repeated, "it isn't a trick."

He stepped close to them and held the bread closer. They both winched like they were about to be hit. Blaine just stood still not wanting to scare them. The little boy looked up at his sister who eventually nodded. Then he rushed forward and grabbed the bread, stuffing big bites into his mouth.

"Don't eat too fast." His sister said, barely above a whisper as he tore off just a small piece for herself.

Blaine heard an exaggerated sigh behind him and turned to see Mike walking forward, he handed his piece to the girl.

"You might as well take this too." He said. She smiled up at him and Mike's sour expression immediately softened.

She took the bread with a small thank you before they both jumped at some nearby sound. The girl grabbed her little brother's hand and they started down the alleyway, eating their bread as they went.

Blaine and Mike followed them; some kind of ruckus was going on in the street. When they got out there they saw that everyone had parted, making way for a caravan of horses and brightly robed people.

"What's this?" Blaine heard a man near him ask.

"Another suitor for the Prince." Someone else answered sounding board.

Just then the little boy that Blaine had given food to got excited about the horses. Camels were plentiful, but you didn't see many horse in this part of town. He ran forward to get a better look, but ended up spooking one of the horses, the one that seemed to be carrying the leader of the group. The horse bucked a tiny bit and whinnied, but no harm was done. That didn't matter to the rider though. He grabbed for his whip and snapped it towards the little boy.

Blaine was already moving though. He was fast, he reached forward and grabbed the end of the whip, it stung his hand slightly, but he stopped it from hurting the boy. Blaine tugged on it until the man let go in surprise.

"If I was a rich as you." Blaine spat out. "I could afford some manners!"

The people around him gasped and the man looked horrified. "Why should I have manners when dealing with the likes of you?" He said haughtily and kicked Blaine in the chest causing him to stumble backwards. "You are no better than a common, _worthless_ street rat!"

And with that the man snapped his reigns and the caravan started up again.

Blaine clenched his jaw and held back tears. The words hurt much more than the kick. He turned back to check on the little boy but he was being pulled away by his sister. Probably a good idea, they didn't need the trouble.

Blaine made his way out of the crowd and started back to his place, Mike was soon by his side. "What an ass." He said.

"Yeah, he wasn't wrong though was he?"

"Of course he was! He doesn't know anything."

Blaine just bit his lip and nodded.

"Come on." Mike said with a smile. "Let's go find some of the guys, we might still be able to scrounge up some dinner.'

"That's okay." Blaine smiled. "I'm done for today, you go though. Have fun."

Mike looked him over, but didn't fight. He just shrugged and hurried off the other way. Blaine climbed up to the rooftops again and made his way to his "home". It was a rundown building that was completely uninhabitable except the upper level. It was missing part of its roof and a wall and a half, but it was big and clean and Blaine called it home. It held a few pillows and blankets, one change of pants and a pot of water. All of Blaine's earthly positions.

"I'm not worthless." Blaine said to himself. "I'm not just a street rat. There is so much more to me." He sighed and walked to the crumbling half wall, he had a big bolt of cloth tied up as a curtain, he pulled it down and looked out on the city. His home might not be much, but he knew he had one of the best views available, not only could you see the whole city from here but also you could see the entire palace, its white walls and gleaming gold dome roofs.

"What must it be like to live there? To have that kind of freedom?" Blaine smiled, picturing it for a moment, but then just a quickly his lips turned down into a frown. "Not that I'll ever know." He turned away from the view and flopped down on some pillows as his He stomach rumbled and began to hurt a little.


	3. The Prince

Hey everyone! Hope you are enjoying the story so far, as you can see I'm following the movie, but not completely. Also, I have some more (kind of) new characters coming up. Enjoy! And I'd love to hear what you think. :)

* * *

Kurt's had started to tune Prince Sebastian out almost as soon as he started speaking. All he seemed capable of was talking about himself or bragging about his kingdom, with lewd comments thrown in here and there. Kurt thought those were probably just to get a rise out of him, he hated to admit it, but it was working.

"There are tales of your beauty throughout the kingdoms." Sebastian said scooting closer to him as they sat on the ledge of a fountain in the middle of the royal gardens.

Kurt was wearing a pair of blue silk pants and a darker silk vest. He wished now he had chosen to wear a tunic with the way Sebastian's eyes were raking over him. Kurt looked at him wearily. "Are there?"

"Of course." Sebastian smirked and scooted so close to Kurt their thighs touched, he reached over and put a hand on Kurt's knee. Kurt glanced over to Mercedes who was a few yards away pretending not to watch them.

Mercedes was Kurt's only friend, she was hired as his companion years ago as an attempt to make Kurt more content within the confined walls of the palace. He had resented her at first, but had soon grown to love her playfulness, frankness and fierce loyalty.

It didn't make him more content being trapped here though. And right now Kurt felt even more trapped with this smarmy Prince leaning in too close and his hand traveling up Kurt leg.

"But you aren't." Sebastian said.

Kurt realized he hadn't been listening again. "I'm not? Not what?"

"Beautiful." Sebastian answered hand getting uncomfortably high.

Kurt swallowed nervously. "Well thanks." He said sarcastically, lifting Sebastian's hand and moving it away from him.

Sebastian smiled. "You're _hot_ Kurt." He said with what he must have thought was a charming smile. "The man who marries you wins in a number of ways."

"Wins?" Kurt asked arching an eyebrow and folding his arms across his bare chest.

"They marry into a rich, powerful family and on top of it all they get to… spend their _wedding night_ with you." Sebastian's hand found Kurt's thigh again and he squeezed.

Kurt let out a shocked squeal and sprang to his feet. "How dare you!"

Just then Mercedes made her way over, her fist clenched and a snarl on her lips, she jabbed a finger roughly against Sebastian's chest. "Back off greaseball!" She said evenly. "Touch him again and you lose an arm."

Sebastian looked indigent, glancing over to Kurt. "You'd let your _servant_." He spat the word. "Talk to me like this?"

"Mercedes has far more class than you do!" Kurt retorted.

Sebastian threw his hands in the air. "I don't have to put up with being treated this way. No one will _ever_ love you Kurt, no matter how much of a prize you seem! No one wants to marry a spoiled brat!" Then he turned on his heel and marched away.

Kurt was shaking with rage. He couldn't tell if he wanted to yell or cry, but his eyes were stinging and he was afraid the tears would win out.

"I don't have to put up being treated this way!" Mercedes said in a ridiculous imitation of Prince Sebastian's voice while waving her hands in the air. "I'm Sebastian. I always get my way. I have servants who wipe my ass for me."

Kurt smiled, his anger dwindling. Mercedes stopped her rant and smiled at Kurt. "Don't listen to people like him." She said and gave him a tight hug. "You are your own person and you should always be proud of that."

Kurt nodded against her shoulder and then fell back down to the ledge of the fountain. "What would I do without you?"He said wiping his eyes.

"Probably be completely bored."

Kurt let out a small laugh. "I don't know what I'm going to do Mercedes."

Mercedes opened her mouth to say something but then stopped as they both looked up to see the Sultan marching towards them. His face was set and his eyes angry.

Kurt let out a long sigh, he'd been expecting this. He stood lifting his head and setting his jaw. If it was a fight his dad was after then Kurt was ready for it.

"Kurt!" Burt stopped a foot in front of him. "Prince Sebastian wasn't even here an hour! How did you make him so angry he stormed off yelling and swearing in only an _hour_?"

"He insulted Mercedes."

Burt glanced over to Kurt's friend. "You know I care about Mercedes but you can't put your servants above your suitors, _he is a Prince_."

Kurt's eyes flashed with anger. "And why does that immediately make him a better person?"

Mercedes cleared her throat behind them and made a little bow before she turned and left, Kurt knew she wasn't going to stand around and listen to him argue with his father, again.

"Kurt you can't keep doing this!" Burt shouted

"I don't even know you anymore." Kurt said, his held back tears finally making their way out. "You use to care about people, now you only care about this stupid rule."

"It's a law Kurt. You must be married-"

"To a Prince!" Kurt finished for him. "_I know_."

"By your next birthday." Burt added and then sighed. "I don't want to fight with you."

"It seems like all we do is fight." Kurt said looking at the ground.

"It isn't just this law." Burt's voice softened. "I won't be around forever and I want to make sure you are taken care of."

"I can take care of myself!"

His father sighed again, taking off his turban and rubbing his bald head. "I don't want you to be alone." He looked Kurt in the eye. "I know how alone feels… after your mother died…"

"You had me." Kurt said, feeling like a small boy. "You didn't have to be alone. You weren't the only one who lost her. I shouldn't have felt like I lost you too." It was a conversation they'd had before, but it never seemed to do any good.

Burt looked away for a moment his eyes growing cloudy, the way Kurt saw them more and more often these days, like there was something blocking his father from having clear thoughts.

"You have to choose someone." He finally said. "They haven't all been bad."

Kurt shook his head and let out a humorless laugh. "If I marry, I want it to be for love."

"You could learn to love one of them…"

Kurt rolled his eyes and marched away stopping at a bird cage filled with brightly colored little lovebirds he watched them so as to not have to look his father in the eye. "Father, how can I fall in love with someone when I don't even know myself?"

"Kurt…"

"Try to understand. I've never done a thing on my own. I've never even been outside the palace walls!" Kurt gestured to the walls around him, the ones that had made him feel like a prisoner for years.

"But Kurt, you're a Prince!"

"Then maybe I don't want to be a Prince!" Kurt shouted.

Burt's face turned red. "Kurt this isn't a discussion. You must choose a suitor!" He gave Kurt one last long look and then stormed off.

Kurt huffed in anger and then looked back at the caged birds, he flung the cage doors opened and watched as the birds flew off to freedom. He would never know what that kind of freedom felt like.

He marched up to his chambers hoping to find Mercedes, but she must be purposely making herself scarce right now because his rooms were empty. He went to his window and looked out on the city. A city he is meant to rule someday, but that he knew nothing about.

"What must it like to be normal?" He asked himself and leaned against the window frame. "To have that kind of freedom?" He turned away from the window, his heart clenching in his chest.

* * *

Burt paced his Royal chambers regretting the way he had talked to his son. Why did this have to be so hard, couldn't Kurt just find someone? Burt had chosen Elizabeth and they had ended up loving each other completely. He wanted that for his son too.

His thoughts were interrupted when William, his Royal Vizier walked into the room.

"Your Majesty." He said with a smile. "What has you so troubled?"

"It's Kurt."

William looked like he sneered for a moment, but maybe Burt had misread his expression as he smiled now. "Did he run off another suitor?"

"He refuses to marry!"

William nodded and looked contemplative for a moment. "Then you will have to choose for him."

"I can't chose someone my son doesn't even like."

William smiled, showing too many teeth, walking forward and holding up his staff with the serpent head on it. Burt hated that thing.

"You will just choose for him." William said.

Burt stared, his eyes focused on the red ruby eyes of the serpent. "I will just choose for him."

"You are too important to be bothered with this anymore."

"I am too…" Burt blinked. "But he's my _son_."

"You can't be bothered with this anymore." William said forcefully, pushing the staff in closer.

Burt was mesmerized by the serpents' eyes again. "I can't be bothered with this anymore."

"You will choose for him."

I will choose for him."

"Good." William said. "Now I am going to need to borrow your ring."

"But, it's been in my family for years" Burt protested.

"Yes, but know you are going to give it to me."

Burt blinked again. "I am going to give it to you." He slipped a large diamond ring off of his finger and handed it to William.

William withdrew the staff and smiled pleasantly. "Very good."

He left the Sultan feeling daze and flustered.

William didn't have time for the Sultan's petty problems, he was much too important to be bothered with them.


	4. Meeting

You may have noticed I changed the title of the story, I never did like the other one . This chapter is a little long, but it has also been my favorite to write to far. Hope you like it.

* * *

Kurt sat on his bed that evening looking out to the balcony and the lights of the city.

"You're Birthday is in a few weeks." Mercedes said. She sat next to him braiding her long dark hair.

"You really don't have to remind me." Kurt sighed and flung himself back on the pillows. "It isn't just the suitors that is the problem Mercedes, I can't keep living like this!"

"What? In a palace where everyone bows to your whim and you never know what it's like to be cold or hungry?"

Kurt shot her a glare and she sighed. "Sorry." She shrugged, "Maybe you could just… pick one. A suitor that is. It'd get your dad off of your back.

"No Mercedes."

"What about Prince Adam? He was attractive and seemed nice."

"No Mercedes." Kurt repeated. "I can't. I can't give up on the idea of falling in love. It's the last thing I have to look forward too. I just can't."

Mercedes pursed her lips and looked like she wanted to say something but instead she just shook her hand. "Well then maybe you'll like the next suitor."

There was a knock on the door and then the Sultan walked in.

"Good evening Mercedes." He said as she got up off of the bed and bowed to him. "May I have a moment to speak with my son?"

"Of course your Majesty." She said with another bow as she left the room.

"Whatever you have to say, you could have said in front of Mercedes."

His father paced back and forth for a moment before he stopped in front of Kurt looking serious. "I've have come to a decision. "You have until the end of the week."

"The end of the week?"

His father nodded. "Yes, choose a suitor by the end of the week or… or I'll choose one for you!"

Kurt shot up from his bed. "You wouldn't!" All this time a little part of him believed that if he didn't find someone his father would back down from this law. He couldn't be serious.

"I would Kurt. And I will. You have a week to choose a prince to marry or one will be chosen for you."

"Please." Kurt said tears in the voice. "_Please_ don't do this."

"Kurt my mind is made up,"

"But why?" Kurt watched as his father's eyes grew cloudy for a moment and his gaze shifted so that he wasn't looking right at Kurt anymore.

"Because I am too important to be bothered with this anymore Kurt! I have a kingdom to run!"

Kurt filched at the words his heart hurting. He felt like he'd been hit. He sunk down on to the bed.

"Dad…" He breathed, not understanding what was going on with his father.

"Choose." Burt said and then left the room without another word.

Kurt felt a storm of emotions race through him, anger, fear, grief, but in the end he was left just feeling determined. He grabbed a bag from under his bed and withdrew a pair of pants and vest that use to belong to one of the porters in the place. Kurt had grabbed them when the boy had thrown them out, thinking that one day he might use them to sneak out of the palace and get a look at the city. He had never had enough guts to do it though.

Now he knew he had to leave. He waited until it was almost morning, right before the sun would rise and he slipped on the clothes and snuck out to the dark garden making sure no one saw him. He made his way over to a large tree growing by the garden wall; he started to climb and then stopped as he felt someone tug on his arm. He turned to see Mercedes watching him.

"Kurt, what are you doing?"

"I'm so sorry, Mercedes. But I can't stay here and have my life lived for me. "

"But Kurt."

"I'll miss you." Kurt said as he started to climb again. Mercedes gave him a little push up and he looked back down at her as he straddled the wall.

"Goodbye."

Mercedes put on a brave smile. "Goodbye Kurt."

By time Kurt made it away from the palace and into the city the sun was up and vendors had started laying out their wares. Kurt walked among the rows of shops and stalls taking everything in.

There was so much color and activity and the smells; spices and flowers and meat and fruit. Everyone was rushing from one place to the other, or gathered talking to friends and neighbors. Kurt jumped back a little as one vendor held a big fish up for Kurt to see.

"Fresh fish!" He called. "The best in the city."

Kurt shook his head. "No thank you."

He kept walking. He had never felt so alive. Here among these people he could be anything, he could do anything. No one telling him no or where to go, he was free. He didn't even care if he looked like an idiot walking down the street and grinning ear to ear, he couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy.

Kurt stopped and watched a young child standing by a mango stale, trying to reach up and grab the fruit. She was too little to reach. Kurt smiled and walked over; he grabbed a mango and handed it to the child.

"Here you go." He said and patted the child on her head.

The little girl's smile was huge as she took the fruit and scampered away. Kurt was about to continue his sightseeing when someone roughly grabbed his wrist, yanking him back and turning him around.  
A large frightening looking man had hold of him. "You'd better be able to pay for that!"

"Pay?" Kurt said, his stomach dropping, it was just one mango.

"No one steals from my cart!"

"I'm so sorry." Kurt said trying to twist his arm out of the man's grasp. "I don't have any money."

"Thief!" The man yelled.

"No. No, I'm not a thief. I can pay. If you let me go to the palace I can get some money from the Sultan!" This was all going terribly wrong, how had he been such a fool?

The man didn't relent though. "Do you know what the penalty is for stealing?" He took Kurt's hand and pinned it down on the table and then lifted a large sharp knife in the air.

"No!" Kurt yelled, fear bubbling inside of him.

The man started to bring down the knife but then someone's hand was there, holding the man's arm and stopping him.

"Thank you kind sir." The newcomer said. "I am so glad you found him." He then turned to Kurt, looking at him with large golden eyes outlined in long dark lashes, Kurt has to swallow and blink a little looking at this boy.

"I've been looking for you everywhere." He said to Kurt.

"For me?" Kurt squeaked out as the man slowly started to let go of Kurt's wrist.

"Just play along" The boy said under his breath, his back to the proprietor. Then he turned around and faced the man who had almost chopped off Kurt's hand.

"You know this boy?"

"Sadly yes." The boy sighed and then he mocked whispered to the man. "He's a little crazy."

Kurt was trying to catch up to what was going on. Was this boy helping him or making things worse?

"He said he knew the Sultan!" The man bellowed.

"He thinks _he's_ the Sultan." The boy said pointing to another young man nearby, wearing dirty pants and a patched vest and a huge grin on his face.

Not knowing what else to do, or what he had to lose at this point Kurt bowed deeply to the boy, "Oh wise Sultan, how may I serve you?"

The boy smiled bigger.

Out of the corner of his eye Kurt saw the young man who had saved him sneak a mango from the man's stall.

"Tragic, isn't it?" He said and handed the stolen mango to the proprietor. "But, no harm done." He walked over to Kurt then and took him by the shoulders guiding him away. "Now come on little brother. Time to see the Doctor."

Now that the immediate threat of danger was over Kurt felt like getting into the spirit of things. He stopped in front of a camel and looked at it intently. "Oh, hello Doctor. How are you?"

The boy next to him smiled widely his eyes twinkling, but then schooled his features into something much more serious. "No, no, no. Not that one." Then he turned to his friend. "Come on, Sultan."

The three of them quickly made their way down the street, hurrying before the man figured out that something was wrong.

They turned a corner and both of the other boys burst out laughing. "You're an idiot!" The taller of the two said to his friend. "I can't believe that worked."

"You saved me." Kurt said looking at the dark, curly haired boy with the golden eyes.

He just shrugged. "Sometimes you got to think on your feet."

Kurt and the boy stood and just looked at each other for a moment, he was dresses just as shabbily as his friend, but Kurt hardly even noticed. All he could see where his expressive eyes and lovely smile. They were both shook out of the reverie though when someone cleared their throat, they turned to look, having forgotten there was even someone else there.

"My names Mike." The tall boy said holding out his hand. Kurt looked down at Mike's dirty hand and then took it, shaking it and smiling. "And this is my boy Blaine." He nodded toward his friend who seemed to still be staring at Kurt.

"Nice to meet you both. I'm… My name is…" Kurt stopped, he had left the palace in such a hurry he was beginning to realize he hadn't thought things through very well. "My name is Sebastian." He said and then winced. That _would_ be the first name that came to mind, another prince and an arrogant, slimy one at that.

"Sebastian." Blaine said as if he was mulling the name over in his mind. "It is a pleasure to meet you." He took Kurt's hand to shake it, but then just ended up standing there, Kurt's hand pressed against the warm rough skin of his hand.

Mike cleared his throat again. "Listen, I'm off. I have a… meeting."

"A meeting?" Blaine asked confused, finally letting go of Kurt's hand, though Kurt was a little sorry he had.

"Yes… you know…_a meeting_." Mike said and glanced at Kurt and then back at Blaine.

"Oh! Right! Good. Thanks." Blaine said. "I mean, yeah, better get going."

Mike shook his head and laughed under his breath as he left, like he knew something they didn't.

Kurt stood with Blaine a little awkwardly in the alleyway for a moment. Blaine looked down at the ground, his bare toe digging into the dirt before he looked up again at Kurt through his long eyelashes.

Kurt's breath caught in his throat, did Blaine realized how gorgeous he looked when he did that?

"So." Blaine finally said breaking the silence. "You're new in town?"

Kurt could feel his cheeks and ears blush crimson. "Is it that obvious?

"Well, you do kind of stand out." Blaine said staring at him again with those big, shining eyes. Then he coughed and stood up straight as if he noticed he' d been staring. "I could show you around if you like."

"I would love that." Kurt said bouncing on his feet a little. Blaine grinned at him and then grabbed his hand pulling him forward. Kurt's heart beat faster with Blaine's hand in his. No one had ever made him fell like this before.

They spent the whole day together, it was by far the best day Kurt could ever remember having. Blaine showed him everything. The market place and tapestry row with its bright colors and rich cloths, then he took him down to the fishing dock where they are lunch, legs hanging over the water and shoulders touching, Kurt couldn't keep from blushing every time there eyes met.

He found that Blaine was more than just painfully attractive he was smart and funny and kind. At one point someone started yelling at Blaine, "Get away from my shop! We don't need rubbish street rats like you in this neighborhood!"

Blaine shoulders slumped and he quickly pulled Kurt away. "Sorry about that." He said rubbing the back of his neck, "He sells houseware, it isn't like I'd ever take any of that anyway."

Kurt bit his lip, not knowing what to say to that. "You're not rubbish you know." Kurt said and looked at him with a small smile.

Blaine started back his eyes a little wet he cleared his throat, "Plenty of people would disagree with you."

Kurt shook his head, "Then they don't know you."

Blaine smiled so brightly it was like the sun had come out and Kurt knew he'd done said right.

That evening Blaine took him down through the flower vendor street. One of the girls at a flower stall seemed to know Blaine and flirted with him shamelessly. Kurt didn't recognize the heavy, uncomfortable feeling that squirmed in his stomach as she flirted, but he was pretty sure it was jealousy.

Blaine smiled at the girl and asked for a flower, offering a ribbon he had in his pocket, she willing made the trade. When they turned the corner Blaine gave the flower to Kurt. A lovely white Jasmine flower. Kurt lifted it to his nose, it smelled wonderful.

"Thank you." Kurt said a little shyly.

"I wanted to give you something I didn't steal." Blaine replied.

"Why… why _do _you steal?" Kurt asked. It wasn't just the mango, Blaine had lifted a couple apples for lunch and then and some bread for their dinner.

Blaine raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I can't find work, I've tried. No one wants to hire a street rat, and the city isn't doing well."

"It isn't?" Kurt asked his turn to be surprised.

"The taxes have grown so heavy the past few years, ever since the Queen died." Blaine sighed and Kurt felt his throat tighten at the mention of his mother. "It's hard on people." Blaine continued. "You do what you have to do to survive."

"I didn't know things were so bad." Kurt said. "I wonder if the Sultan knows."

"He's the one in charge isn't he?"

Kurt nodded, but he wondered if that was true.

They had been walking and talking and Kurt stopped to look around, they were in a rundown part of town and he wondered where Blaine was taking him.

"Come on." Blaine said and nodded forward.

They came to a house with a ladder on the side and Blaine climbed up, Kurt followed him. Soon they were on the rooftop Blaine grabbed a long wooden pole from the ground. He used it to pole blot to the rooftop of another building leaving Kurt behind.

He then grabbed a wooden plank and started to move it to bridge the two roofs, but Kurt just smiled. He could do this. He grabbed another pole and used it to spring himself to the other building whizzing over Blaine's head in the process. He landed on his feet as Blaine turned to look at him stunned. Kurt tossed him the pole

"I'm a fast learner."

Blaine blinked and rubbed the back of his neck as a smile formed on his lips. "Yeah, you are." He looked at him like Kurt was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen.

* * *

William closed the door to his secret chambers. This is where he did his magic and potions and other things no one should know about. He held the Sultan's ring up to the light watching it sparkle. He then brought it over to a large sand timer, almost as tall as a man, and placed the diamond in a setting at the top. He then grabbed a glass bottle from one of his shelves, it was filled with a dark purple powder. He closed his eyes and lifted his hands over the diamond and began to chant.

The lights in the room flickered and the diamond started to glow. William continued his chanting his voice rising in volume. The light went out and William threw the bottle down on the sand timer, smashing it and making the dark power float through the air like a cloud.

"Show me the diamond in the rough!" William shouted and then in the glass of the timer a picture slowly started to form. At first it looked like a mirage but then it cleared.

William saw some peasant, a street urchin climbing the rooftops of the city. Some other street rat was following him, but William didn't pay the second person any heed. He had him, he had found his diamond in the rough, the answer to all of his problems.

* * *

Blaine led Kurt on until they got to the roof of a large tattered looking building, Blaine reached for Kurt's hand which he willingly gave him and then ducked under some boards leading the way. They entered a large almost empty room. Some blankets and pillows, but not much else.

"Is this where you live?" Kurt asked.

"Yup, my own place. I come and go as I please."

"Fabulous."

Blaine walked over to a cloth hanging from one of the walls. "Well, it's not much." He said and pulled back the curtain. "But it's got a great view."

Kurt walked over and looked out, he could see the whole city and there, in the middle, the palace.

"Palace looks pretty amazing, doesn't it?" Blaine asked.

"Oh, it's wonderful." Kurt deadpanned.  
Blaine leaned forward looking at the palace with a spark in his eyes "I wonder what it would be like to live there, to have servants and valets..."

"Oh, sure." Kurt replied. "People who tell you where to go and how to dress."

"It's better than here. Always scraping for food and ducking the guards."

"You're not free to make your own choices." Kurt said sighing.

"Sometimes you feel so…"

"You're just…"

"Trapped." Both Kurt and Blaine said the word at the same time; they looked at each other and smiled.

Kurt sat down on the ledge, feet hanging off the side as he looked at the city. Blaine sat down next to him. They shared a comfortable silence for a moment before Blaine spoke. "Did you run away?"

Kurt's head snapped to Blaine, did he know? "W-what?"

"Wherever you're from, did you ran away from home?"

"Yes... I did." Kurt said slowly.

Blaine nodded "A lot of the street kids are runaways."

"Are you?"

"No, not me. I'm a good old fashioned orphan."

Kurt's heart sank, he knew what it was like to lose a mother he couldn't imagine losing both of his parents, the thought actually made him miss his dad.

"I'm so sorry." Kurt said and reached over to place his hand on top of Blaine's.

Blaine looked down at their hands for a moment before he turned his over to hold Kurt's. He looked up at Kurt and smiled. "So where are you from?"

"Why does it matter?" Kurt answered. "I ran away and I'm never going back?"

Blaine nodded. "Why?"

"My father's forcing me to get married." Kurt said shortly. It wasn't unheard of in upper-class families and it wasn't like Blaine hadn't already figured out Kurt came from a more comfortable background.

"I…that…" Blaine looked at him with wide eyes. "That's terrible."

Kurt just shrugged.

"I wish there was something I could do." Blaine said and leaned forward just a tiny bit.

Kurt looked at Blaine's earnest eyes and then down to his soft cherry lips. He had never wanted to kiss someone as much as he wanted to kiss Blaine.

Kurt had never had a real kiss. One of his suitors, Prince Karofsky had stolen a kiss once, but Kurt didn't count it. Now with Blaine so close and Kurt's heart hammering in his chest he knew he wanted Blaine to be his first real kiss.

He leaned forward as well bringing his face closer to Blaine's, Kurt bit his lip and glanced back and forth between Blaine's eyes and his mouth.

"Thank you, by the way." Kurt said breathlessly.

Blaine looked at him like he was a little stunted by his closeness before his answered softly. "For what?"

"For saving me today. For showing me the city. For... for _caring_."

Blaine smiled and blushed a little; he looked so perfect right now in the fading light of the sun. Kurt reached a hand up and held the back of Blaine's neck leaning forward until their foreheads touched. Their lips were less than an inch apart; Kurt could feel Blaine's warm breath brush against his skin.

Kurt closed his eyes as Blaine's hand made its way to cup his cheek, he parted his lips and then...

Bang!

Something loud and heavy crashed behind them. Both Kurt and Blaine jumped back and were on their feet in a flash.

"Now I've got you!" A voice snarled at them. It was Hunter, the Captain of the Guards.

"He's after me!" Kurt said at the exact same time Blaine did.

They turned to each other. "He's after you?" they said in unison again.

"Arrest him!" Hunter called and a dozen guards started swarming the room.

Blaine turned to Kurt. "Do you trust me?" He asked urgently.

"What?"

Blaine held out his hand. "Do you trust me?"

Kurt took his hand. "Yes." He answered quickly.

"Then jump!" Without any other warning Blaine jumped from the building taking Kurt with him.

Blaine had grabbed the cloth while he was at it and it billowed out over them slowing their fall as Kurt clung to Blaine. Then they landed on a pile of hay. They both quickly scrambled to their feet and started to run. But they were stopped by another group of guards. It seemed Hunter had been ready for that.

Hunter joined them in a matter of minutes. "We just keep running into each other, don't we, street rat?"

A guard grabbed Blaine, roughly pinning his arms behind his back, Kurt watched in horror.

"It's the dungeon for you boy!" Hunter said and spat in his face. Blaine struggle but couldn't get free.

"Let go of him" Kurt said in his most commanding voice.

"Oh look what we have here." Hunter mocked. "It looks like the street rat found a little friend." Then he pushed Kurt down onto the hard ground.

"Don't!" Blaine cried. "He hasn't done anything!"

Kurt stood to his feet and brushed off his pants, stepping forward so he could be well seen in the light of the moon. "I said, let him go, by order of the Prince!"

"Prince Kurt?" Hunter said surprised.

"The Prince?" Blaine echoed.

"I am so sorry Prince Kurt. I didn't know, but I... I have to arrest him."

"On who's orders?"

"By order of William." Hunter said with a bow. "You'll have to take it up with him."

He turned back to his guards and dragged Blaine away.

Kurt crossed his arms across his chest. He wasn't going to let this happen. "Oh trust me I will." He said to himself, William wasn't going to get away with this.


	5. A Chance

This is a short one, but I should be able to post over the weekend too. Let me know what you think!

* * *

The first thing Kurt did when he got home was march right to his Father's rooms, still in his peasant cloths. The picture of Blaine being dragged away by Hunter making his blood boil, if a street vender could cut off your hand for stealing then what would Hunter do to Blaine? He closed his eyes and breathed. He couldn't think about that.

He burst into his Father's room. Burt looked up from his desk where is he writing. "Kurt!" He said and jumped up from his chair. "You're home!" He ran to him and wrapped him in his arms "Your home and your safe." He held Kurt for a moment and Kurt melted into his father's embrace, it had been so long since Burt had shown him this kind of affection. Burt held him out at arm's length to look at him. "What are you wearing?"

Kurt ignored the question. "Oh, so you noticed I was gone did you?" He was so grateful for the hug, but he was still angry with his father.

His father's brow furrowed, "Of course I did. I have people out looking for you! I was so worried."

Kurt's angry expression softened some at his father's words. "Dad, I need your help. William had someone arrest and I need you to free him."

Burt looked at him steadily for a moment. "If he was arrested I'm sure there was a good reason."

"What? No. You don't understand-"

"Did this person break some law?" Burt asked.

"No! I mean… yes, but that isn't…" Kurt was frustrated and couldn't find the right words. "You don't know what it's like out there."

Burt got that far-away look in his eyes that Kurt was beginning to recognize and hate. "Don't Dad, don't do that. Say with me, _listen_ to me!" Kurt begged desperately.

"If William had him arrested, then you need to talk to William." Burt said monotonously not even looking at Kurt.

"Dad. I need you! _You're_ Sultan!"

"You need to talk to William." He repeated and turned away from Kurt.

Kurt brushed away his angry, hurt tears. "Fine!" He yelled and then left the room.

He'd go to William then. If his dad wouldn't be Sultan than Kurt would be the Prince! He stormed into William's room without knocking.

"William!" He shouted.

William spun around from the wall he was facing and looked surprised to see Kurt, he bowed deeply holding out the cape of his robe. "Prince Kurt, what a pleasant su-"

"You had a boy arrested from the marketplace today." Kurt interrupted.

"Well yes, I did. He was a dangerous criminal."

Kurt knew that Blaine was a thief, but there was no way he'd ever hurt anyone. "Dangerous? A dangerous criminal? What is his crime?"

"Why… kidnapping the Prince, of course." William answered

Kurt's jaw dropped. No, no they couldn't pin that on Blaine, If they did he'd… they _kill_ him. "He didn't kidnap me!" Kurt said his heart in his throat. "I _ran away_."

William gasped a looked taken aback. "No! Oh my Prince. I'm so sorry if only I had known!"

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked his stomach churning.

"Sadly, the boy's sentence has already been carried out."

Kurt felt like he was going to be sick, he forced himself to ask, "What sentence?"

"Death." William said.

Kurt gasped.

"By beheading."

"No." Kurt said, his legs feeling weak. "No no, please no." He fell to the floor, a sob caught in his chest.

"I am exceedingly sorry, Prince."

"How could you?" Kurt whimpered and then he dragged himself off of the floor and ran from the room, not able to be near William for a moment longer. Blaine was dead. _Blaine was dead?_ This had to be a nightmare, it couldn't be real.

He got to his room and flung himself down on his bed crying. He heard Mercedes enter and rush to him the bed dipped as she sat down next to him.

"Oh, Kurt. What's wrong?"

"It's my fault!" Kurt sobbed into a pillow as she started rubbing his back.

"What's your fault?" She asked kindly.

"He's dead. Because of me." Kurt could fell his heart breaking.

* * *

Blaine's wrists were sore where they were chained to the wall above his head. He sat on the cold damp floor of his cell, his threadbare pants and vest doing little to give him warmth. A musky rotting smell lingered in the place and there was a steady drip, drip, drip of dirty water in the corner.

Blaine had never been in this much trouble, never in such a tight spot that he couldn't think of a way out of it. Hunter seemed to have finally caught his rat. What would happen to him now? Blaine could hardly focus on his predicament though. All he could think of was Kurt.

"He's the Prince?" Blaine said to himself. "I must have sounded so stupid to him! I should have never gotten involved."

But he couldn't get Kurt's crystal blue eyes or beautiful smile out of his head. He was so… so bright and good and he actually saw Blaine the way no one ever did. Blaine sighed. Why out of all the boys in the world did Blaine have to fall for a Prince?

"He was in trouble though, what else could have I done?"

Blaine closed his eyes and pictured Kurt sitting next to him on the ledge, eyes sparkling and smile so sweet. Blaine leaned forward at just the memory of Kurt's lips so close to his own. "He was worth it." Blaine whispered to himself.

Blaine shook himself from the memory. "Not that it matters, I'll never see him again. I'm a street rat, and there's a law. He's got to marry a prince... He deserves it."

Blaine looked around the dank cell, a rat running by his feet. He wasn't going to ever see anyone again if he didn't figure a way out of this. "I'm such a fool!"

"You're only a fool if you give up." A voice said from the darkness making Blaine jump. An old wrinkled man hobbled out of the corner. He had a long scraggily beard and his face was grey and covered with liver spots, he hunched over a wooden cane and his clothes were tattered and hung to the ground.

"Who are you?" Blaine asked as he watched the old man slowly make his way towards him. The man stopped next to him and pulled something small and thin out of his robe, he started picking Blaine's locks with it, releasing his hands.

"Just a lowly prisoner like yourself." The man said smiling and showing his yellow teeth. "But together we could be more!"

Blaine rubbed his sore wrist as he warily watched the old man. "I'm listening."

"There is a cave, boy. A cave of wonders." The man said with a gleam in his eyes. "Filled with treasures beyond your wildest dreams. Treasure enough to impress even your Prince, I'd wager."

"Everyone knows the law, he can only be with another Prince." Blaine said his chest aching at the thought.

The old man laughed, "Haven't you ever heard of the golden rule? Whoever has the gold makes the rules!"

"So why would you share all of this wonderful treasure with me?"

"I need a young man with strong legs and a strong back to go in after it." He said tapping his cane against Blaine's legs and back in turn.

Blaine was starting to get excited, but he made himself slow down. Things that seemed too good to be true usually were. "Uh, one problem." He said. "It's out there, we're in here?"  
"I've been waiting for someone just like you." The old man said as he walked to a wall and pushed open a hidden exit. "Things aren't always what they seem. So, do we have a deal?"

Something was off about this, Blaine knew it, but if there was any hope that he could have even a chance with Kurt, he'd take it.

"Deal." Blaine said and held out his hand. The old man cackled and shook his hand, and then they both slipped out of the cell on towards freedom.

Once Blaine found himself in the dessert with the old man he knew that either the man was a crazy old loon, or he'd gotten himself mixed up in something much bigger than he'd expected. The man pulled two golden pieces of a carved beetle out of his robe and slotted them together. The beetle seemingly came to life, buzzing through the air and landing in the sand.

Blaine gulped, magic was involved here. The earth started to shake and shutter and this with a clap that spilt through the air the sand began to rise, swirling and moving and shaping itself. Within moments Blaine and the old man stood in the shadow of a huge lion head made of sand, with red glowing eyes.

Then the lion spoke with a deep thundering voice, "Who disturbs my slumber?"

Blaine looked at the old man and then swallowed his fear and stepped forward. "It is I, Blaine."

That lion spoke again. "Proceed. Touch nothing but the lamp."

On the way the old man had told him what they were after, a lamp that would be hidden in the depths of the cave. If Blaine got him that lamp then he would be rewarded. Blaine straightened his shoulders and stepped forward as the lion widened his mouth as an entry to the cave.

He looked inside and then took a step forward, feet moving him down a sandy stairway as he walked into the depths of the cave.


	6. Cave of Wonders

Blaine slowly walked down the steps, watching out for anything that could go wrong. The stairway went on and on and he knew he was traveling deep under the ground. The whole cave seemed to be illuminated by a glowing golden light which at least allowed Blaine see where he was going.

He got to the bottom and gasped, his jaw hanging opened. Cave of wonders indeed. As far as his eyes could see there was treasure. Literally piles and hills of gold, cases of jewelry and pearls and ruby encrusted chalices. He walked forward his eyes round.

Just a handful of this would feed him and his friends for years, but he couldn't touch anything but the lamp. How in the world was he even going to find one little lamp in all of this? He pasted a chest full of crowns, golden and shining, jewels sparkling in the golden glow of the cave. Where did this all come from? Who did it belong to? Those crowns must have belonged to someone at some point.

The thought made Blaine feel a little queasy. And temptation to take some of the treasure was gone; you could just feel that it was cursed. In fact, after the immediate awe of the place Blaine was left with a dark feeling in the pit of his stomach. He just wanted to find that lamp and get out of here.

He turned where he was standing, head lifted looking at the piles of treasure and wondering where to start and how he was even going to look for this lamp when he wasn't allowed to touch anything. Then his heart practically stopped in his chest. He saw movement behind one of the piles of gold. He inched forward a little wondering if it was just a trick of the light. He saw it again, something was definitely back there.

He didn't really want to find out what it was, but he didn't want to just keep going and have something spring out at him either so he moved forward and around the pile. There was nothing there. Just more treasure and a richly colored rug curled up on the ground.

His mind must be messing with him. He started to move away when suddenly the carpet started to uncurl. Blaine yelped and fell backwards as the carpet moved on its own, stretching itself out before spinning up into the air where it quickly circled Blaine, making him feel dizzy.

Then it stopped in front of him, hovering in the air, almost like it was looking at him.

"A magic carpet." Blaine said, stunned. He had heard tales of these, but never thought they could be real. "What is this place?" The carpet tilted a little like it was tilting its head at what Blaine said.

"You can't… you can't understand me can you?"

The carpet bobbed up and down.

Blaine pushed his curly hair back from his forehead, not believing what he was seeing. "Well I'm crazy. I've lost it." He said to himself. The rug twisted in the air again and then landed by Blaine's feet nudging forward like it wanted Blaine to hop on.

"I don't think so." Blaine said backing up. "I can't touch anything but the lamp."

The carpet perked up like it was excited and flew forward; it stopped and turned, again seeming to look at Blaine. Then it waved one of its tasseled corners forward.

"You want me to follow you?" Blaine said in disbelief. The carpet bobbed again.

"Well, what do I have to lose?" Blaine asked and started after the carpet. It led him away from the great chamber full of treasure and down a darker, smaller passageway. The further they went Blaine noticed the light started to change, it still glowed and lit Blaine's way but now it was more red than gold and everything just seemed eerie and sinister.

Blaine followed the carpet into another large room with a large dark pool in the middle and stepping stones making their way to a pillar of rocks in the center of the pool. The on top, surrounded by more gold was a lamp, a bright beam of light shining on it.

Blaine looked at the flying carpet and it made a move that looked like a shrug.

"Here goes nothing." Blaine said as he started hopping from one stone to another making his way to the pillar. He climbed the narrow slick steps to the top and carefully made his way around the gold pieces strewn across the surface.

He got to the lamp and held his breath as he reached for it. He lifted it up and let out a nervous breath. Nothing happened.

"This is it? This is what I came all the way down here to-" Blaine shifted his weight as he spoke and moved his foot, slipping on the slick surface of the rock in the process. He fell backwards. He didn't want to lose the lamp so he kept a tight hold on it, his other handed hit the ground to keep him from tumbling down the stairs. He looked behind himself at the steep staircase he almost fell back down.

"That was clo-" But then the ground started to rumble and a terrifying roar filled the cave. Blaine looked down, lifting his hand from the ground to find a piece of gold underneath it. He had touched he treasure.

"No!" Blaine said and scrambled to his feet.

"_Infidel_!" The cave growled. "_You have touched the forbidden treasure. Now you will never again see the light of day_!"

The stone walls around Blaine started to melt like molten rock, Blaine hurried down the steps clutching the lamp to his chest. He had to get out of here fast. He started across the pool, but the water had turned to lava and the stepping stones were quickly sinking. He was half-way across when the stones in front of him disappeared beneath the bubbling surface.

He was going to die here, there was no way out. Just then the carpet swooped up behind him, knocking him off of his feet and then he was in the air, riding the carpet and flying past falling rocks as the cave continued to shake and crumble.

They raced through the cave trying to get back to the entrance.

"This is no time to panic. This is no time to panic." Blaine chanted to himself, hanging on to the flying carpet for dear life and helping navigate it by tugging it one way and another. Then they quickly started to fly straight at a wall.

"Time to panic!" Blaine yelled. The carpet dove down though, missing the wall and finally getting them back to the first big room, all the gold and treasure was melting all around him.

They flew up and up and up, the stairway that had led Blaine in was long gone, but he could still see the entryway to the cave. They were almost there when a big rock fell above them, knocking Blaine off of the carpet which was pulled down towards the bottom of the cave.

Blaine was fast, he flung his hand forward and caught the ledge of the entrance, he was dangling there, the cave still trembling. The old man peered down at him.

"Help me up!" Blaine shouted, fear and adrenaline coursing through him.

"First give me the lamp!"

"_Please_, help me." Blaine cried and he felt himself slipping.

"The Lamp!"

Blaine held the lamp forward and the old man went to grab it, but it was too late, Blaine lost his hold and he fell backwards into the darkness as the cave closed above him.

He hit the side of the cave hard, and kept falling, thinking that at least it would be a fast death. He felt something swoop under him and catch him before slowly and carefully letting him down to the ground where the world went dark and Blaine slumped into unconscious.

* * *

William tossed his cane to the side and stood up straight, his features morphing back to look like him, his spell wearing off. He watched in horror as the cave sucked up the street rat and along with him, _the lamp._

"NO!" William shouted falling to his knees, his face turned to the sky. It was over then; he had lost it for good.


	7. The Genie of the Lamp

Blaine groaned and brought a hand up to the back of his head to see if it was bleeding. He sat up slowly relieved that at least there was no blood, but his head was pounding and his body ached. He blinked and rubbed his eyes trying to remember where he was.

Wherever he was it was almost completely dark and he had a hard time seeing anything. He did see something move to his left and he looked down to the ground next to him, the carpet was hovering near him as if it was watching him to see if he was okay.

Blaine groaned again. Now he remembered. He was in the cave of wonders… or what use to be a cave of wonders, the wonders part seemed to have been destroyed. He remembered falling to his death… but he didn't die. He looked at the carpet again.

"You saved my life didn't you?"

The carpet just curled up and uncurled like it was happy. Blaine let out a little chuckle. "Now what though?" He stood carefully testing his limbs out for any other injuries and looked up to where the cave had sealed high above him.

"I'm trapped." Blaine said and spun around looking at the barren cave. "That two faced son-of-a-jackal!" He yelled. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted him."

Blaine looked down as he heard a scraping noise; the carpet was pushing the lamp towards him with one of his tassels. Blaine crouched down and picked it up. "All of this for this worthless piece of junk?" He stood up trying to see the lamp in better light.

Blaine rubbed his hand over the smooth surface of the lamp, "It's just an old lamp." His palm brushed against it again. Then there was a bright burst of light and smoke and the lamp all but jumped out of Blaine's hand. He backed up in surprise and the lamp clanged to the ground as a cloud of blue smoke started to fill the air.

"Oh yeah!" A voice rang out through the cave. "Yes! Thank you!" The smoke started to clear and Blaine stood frozen in place as a huge, blue, almost transparent man floated above the lamp. He was so big he almost took up the whole cavern.

"Ten-thousand years will give ya such a crick in the neck!" The man stretched his massive arms and then flexed them. He was big enough to knock down a whole building, he didn't really need any extra strength, but his arms were large and muscled. The man lifted them over his head and they popped. Though Blaine wasn't sure what was popping considering he seemed to be made mostly of smoke.

"Who do I have to thank?" The man asked and looked around. Then his eyes landed on Blaine who wished he had somewhere to hide."You!" The man said and suddenly he shrunk down to the size of an almost normal person and came to hover right in Blaine face.

"Did you let me out?" The man asked.

"I…I just…" Blaine stuttered.

The man… if he was a man at all, smirked at him and flexed his muscles again. "Impressive right? I always leave people speechless."

Blaine took a moment to really get a good look at him. Even shrunk down his was taller and broader than a normal person, his skin a bright blue. He hand dark hair that was shaved on the sides of his head leaving one stripe that went down the center. He had gold rings in each of his ears and wide gold cuffs on his wrist.

"What's your name?" The man asked.

"Uh… um, B- Blaine."

"Come on Master!" The man said. "Don't look so worried, this is about to become the best day of your life!"

Blaine blinked as his words settled over him. "Wait, did you call me Master? I'm… your master"

The man laughed and the sound of it rang through the cave. "Pretty but not so bright are we?" He asked. "You rubbed the lamp man. That makes you Master."

"And…" Blaine shook his head. "That means you are?"

"The one" The man got bigger. "The only!" He grew again. "Genie! Of! The Lamp!" He was back to his huge room filling size now.

"I must have hit my head harder than I thought." Blaine said and gulped.

"Nah, man." The Genie answered. "Right here direct from the lamp for your enjoyment and wish fulfillment!"

Blaine sat down on a nearby rock and rubbed his hands over his face. "You're a Genie? A Genie? So I get… wishes?"

"He can be taught!" The Genie laughed and then, thankfully, shrunk back down to size again. "Three wished to be exact and no wishing for more wishes, doesn't work."

Blaine was finally catching up to what was going on. He didn't know why he was so surprised to find a Genie in the lamp this whole day had been full of unbelievable things, flying carpets, magic caves, a prince! A prince… Blaine couldn't help but have a mix of emotions when he thought about Kurt. What was he suppose to do when he felt this way about someone he could never be with?

"Wait a minute." Blaine said and looked at the Genie. "You're going to grant me any three wishes I want?"

"Ah, almost." The Genie said. "There are a few provisos, a couple of quid pro quos."

"Like?"

"Well, rule number one! I can't kill anyone, violence is not the answer, so don't ask. Rule two. I can't make anyone fall in love with anyone else." He batted his eyelashes and made kissy noise towards Blaine. "And rule three. I can't bring people back from the dead. That'd just be messed up anyway man. Other than that, you got it!"

Blaine nodded, a plan forming in his head. The first thing he needed to do was get out of this cave, but he didn't actually want to use a wish on that.

"Provisos?" Blaine asked lifting his eyebrows. "You mean limitations? On wishes? Some all powerful Genie, can't even bring people back from the dead." He sighed and looked at the carpet that was still hovering around. "I don't know, he probably can't even get us out of this cave. Looks like we're going have to find a way out of here-"

Blaine was cut off by the Genies hands blocking his way, he had grown a little bit. "Excuse me? Are you lookin' at me? Did you rub my lamp? Did you wake me up, did you bring me here? And all of a sudden, you're walkin' out on me?"

Blaine could almost swear there was actual steam coming out of the Genies' ears, maybe this hadn't been a good idea.

"I don't think so!" The Genie yelled. "You're gettin' your wishes, so sit down!"

Blaine quickly climbed up on the carpet the Genie grabbed the lamp from the floor and trusted it into Blaine's hands before climbing on behind him.

"Come on rugman!" Genie called. "We're outta here!"

They whooshed into the air and started climbing towards the nonexistence exit, Blaine tried not to flinch as they got closer, but just at the right moment the Genie waved his hand and the cave opened. They were in the cool air of the desert, stars twinkling above them. They continued flying until they reached a small desert oasis and the carpet landed.

The Genie climbed off. "HA!" He said crossing his arms and looking smug. "Teach you to doubt me."

Blaine slipped off the carpet too and smiled. "Impressive. Now about my three wishes…"

"No way Master. You are down by one!"

"I never actually wished to get out of the cave, you did that on your own."

The Genie froze and his face seemed to turn purple, Blaine was worried he was going to get angry again and he held his breath. He didn't actually want a powerful genie angry with him. But then the Genie did the last thing Blaine expected, he started to laugh.

"Oh my god! You didn't!" He whipped his eyes. "I should be so mad at you, but that was smooth man. No more freebies though. I was only able to do that because I thought you wished it."

"Fair enough." Blaine said and started pacing. "Wishes… I know what I want, but… I don't know.." He turned to the Genie who was sitting on the ground with his hands behind his neck resting against a palm tree. "What would you wish for?"

The Genie dropped his hands and looked at him. "Me? I… wow. No one has ever asked me that before. He stood up and scratched his head. "I guess… well, I'd wish for freedom."

"Freedom? But you're an all powerful Genie!"

"Yeah." The Genie laughed. "Yeah all the power of the cosmos! But with a master controlling me and an itty-bitty living space." He said nodding to the lamp Blaine had tucked into his waist band.

"But oh, to be free. Not have to go 'Poof! What do you need? Poof! What do you need? Poof! What do you need?' To be my own master, such a thing would be greater than all the magic and all the treasures in all the world!" He had puffed up in size again as he spoke but then he shrunk down looking defeated. "But what am I talking about, here? Let's get real here. It's so not gonna happen."

"Why not?" Blaine asked actually feeling bad for the guy. He had looked so young when he was talking about being free and Blaine could easily picture him as one of his friends living on the street and just longing for a better life.

"Because the only way for me to be free is for my Master to wish me free." He said and rolled his eyes. "You can guess how many times that has happened."

Blaine bit his lip and nodded, thinking about what it would be like to have absolutely no control over his life, he had often felt trapped, but it was nothing compared to this. "Then I'll wish you free." Blaine said before he even realized it.

"What?"

"I'll do it. I'll use my first two wishes and then I'll set you free."

The Genie lifted his eyebrow. "Why would you do that?"

"It seems like the right thing to do."

They stood looking at each other for a moment before a huge grin spread across the Genie's face. "Okay, here's hoping! Let's get those wishes cracking." He popped his knuckles, "What do you want?"

Blaine sighed. "Well… there's this guy…"

"Nope, wrong. I can't make anyone fall in love."

"No, no. I wouldn't want you too. I couldn't bare it if he only loved me if I wished him too. The problem is…he's a prince…"

"Of course, you can't just fall for a normal guy." The Genie teased.

"You don't understand, I've never met anyone like him, he's brave and smart and… and..."

"Handsome?" The Genie supplied.

"Gorgeous! He's got these eyes that just...and this hair, wow...and his smile." Blaine plopped down on the ground. "But I could only have a chance with him if…"

He stopped and looked up at the Genie who was looking at him and nodding as if he'd been waiting for Blaine to get to this thought.

"Genie? Could you make me a Prince?"

The Genie smiled. "Now we're talking!"


	8. Prince Devon

Big thanks to lilienwolf (formerly known as needklainenow) for letting me use her lovely artwork for this story. You should go check out her art on Tumblr because she is _very _(like very, very) talented.

* * *

Kurt stayed up all night with Mercedes, crying and telling her all about Blaine and what had happened to him. He still couldn't believe that he'd met someone so wonderful only to lose him so fast. To make it worse, as much and Mercedes tried to convince him otherwise he knew Blaine's death was his doing.

"No Kurt." Mercedes said firmly. "That is blood on William's hands, he had no right to execute anyone without a trail, or asking you what happened, or even talking to the Sultan."

"I d-don't th-think my dad would h-have even stopped it." Kurt sniffled.

"Don't say that. Your father would never have someone wrongfully punished."

"He isn't who he used to be Mercedes." Kurt said drying his eyes. "Something has happened to him, it's like he doesn't even care about the kingdom, and things are bad out there. William is practically running everything and he is hurting our people."

Mercedes face fell. "I know."

"Why did you never tell me how things really where?"

"What would you have done Kurt?" She asked, not unkindly. "I mean a day ago you didn't even know you couldn't just take fruit from a stranger's stall and give it away. You wouldn't have understood."

Kurt smiled ruefully, she was right, he was so sheltered. The very little he knew about the outside world he'd learned from Blaine in the past 24 hours. _Blaine_. The thought of him made his throat grow tight and his stomach churn again with guilt and longing.

"You're right." Kurt said. "I have to do something, I'm the Prince if anyone can make a change it should be me, right?"

Mercedes smiled. "Where are you going to start?"

"I'm… I'm going to tell my dad about B-Blaine. And what William did to him. I need my dad to see what a monster William really is."

Kurt washed up and changed back into his own clothes and then went to find his father. Maybe if he could make things better in the kingdom Blaine's death wouldn't be in vain. He found his father in the throne room speaking to William. Kurt clenched his fist and strode forward.

"Father, I need to speak with you."

"Of course." The Sultan said.

"Without him here." Kurt said glaring at William.

"You can have nothing to say that you can't trust with me, young Prince." William said.

"He's right. You can have nothing to say that you can't trust with William." His father echoed.

Kurt looked incredulously back and forth between the Vizier and his father, what kind of hold did he have over him?

"Fine. Then you should know that William is responsible for the unjust killing of an innocent man!" Kurt's voice broke a little as he said it, but he felt proud of himself for not backing down.

"Ah yes, the street rat." William said.

"He wasn't a street rat!" Kurt shouted. "He… he was…" Tears started to form in Kurt's eyes. "He was kind and smart and he saved me from being severely hurt in the marketplace. Father, he was a good person and now…" He couldn't finish with his throat full of tears.

His dad watched him and his face fell. "Oh Kurt."

"Oh dear Prince." William said. "I was just explaining the terrible mistake that occurred."

"You were?" Kurt asked suspiciously.

"Yes and your father understand that I was just acting out of my deep desire to keep you safe."

"No." Kurt said and looked at his father.

"It is a horrible business." His father said. "But William was just acting out of a deep desire to keep you safe."

"No!" Kurt cried.

"I am so terribly sorry." William said with a false look on his face.

"See _there_." The Sultan said. "Now can't you two shake hands and we will put this whole messy business behind us."

"No!" Kurt choked out. "Father p-please!"

But his father just blinked at him, his eyes clouded over.

Kurt felt sick. It was like he'd finally, truly lost his dad, and in his place was some puppet spouting whatever William wanted him to say.

Kurt turned on his heel and ran from the room not knowing what he was going to do now.

* * *

William watched Kurt flee the room and turned back to the Sultan, continuing the conversation they were having before the prince interrupted them. He lifted his serpent staff into the Sultan's line of sight.

"As I was saying. I have found a solution to the problem with your son."

"The problem with my son." Burt repeated in a trance.

"If, in the event a suitable prince or princess cannot be found." William read from a long scroll. "The royal heir must then be wed to… hmm, interesting…"

"What? Who?" The Sultan asked.

"The Royal Vizier." William stood up straight placing his hand on his chest. "Why… that would be me."

"I thought the law says that only a prince or princess could marry a prince." Burt said confused.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, my liege." William said leaning his staff forward again.

"Yes... desperate measures..."

"You will order the prince to marry me."

"I... will order... the prince...to... but you're so old!"

William clenched his jaw. "The prince _will_ marry me!"

"The prince will marry..."

Just then there was a loud trumpet call from outside and the sound of music. Burt broke out of his trance. "Wait… what is that?" He got up from his throne to look out the window.

Outside was a big commotion, people streaming down streets and out of buildings to try and get a better look because down the main street, the one that lead to the palace was the most extravagant parade the city had ever seen.

There were elephants, and jugglers, and peacocks and dancers. There were flame eaters and brightly clothed servants throwing food and coins to the people, and there on a huge elephant sat a prince. He wore pure white robes trimmed in gold and blue and a big turban on his head with a rich blue feather sticking out of it. He sat and smiled and waved to the people as music played all around him.

"Would you look at that?" Burt said. "I've never seen someone bring such a huge entourage, he must want to make an impression."

"Indeed." William said dryly, upset that his plan had been interrupted. He had come to the conclusion that if the lamp was lost he could still find a way to rule, marry the Prince. Then he could assassinate the Sultan and take his place. He'd keep Kurt around if he behaved, he was an attractive young man, but if not William had no problem secretly killing the royal family and ruling in their place.

It wasn't as good as having the lamp, but it would do. He thought he had the Sultan convinced but now this new comer was coming in trumpets blaring and keeping him from his goal.

The doors to the throne room burst open and a Prince smoothly strode in, he bowed deeply to the Sultan.

Burt crossed his arms and nodded, hiding his smile. "Splendid, absolutely marvelous entry." he said.

The Prince straightened up and spoke in a deep serious sounding voice. "I am Prince Devon, your majesty. I have journeyed from afar to seek your son's hand."

Burt finally let himself smile. William could tell he already liked this stupid kid. "Of course. Prince Devon, you are welcomed to our kingdom. Tell me Prince Devon, why would you want to marry my son?"

The Prince looked stunned for a moment before he spoke clearing his throat and using an affected voice again. "Why tales of your son's…"

William expected him to say "beauty".

"Your son's intelligence and goodness are throughout the land, who wouldn't at least want a chance to meet him?"

William sneered; this kid was laying in on think. He turned to the Sultan trying to get his staff in Burt's line of sight. "I don't trust him, sire."

"Nonsense. William." The Sultan answered, "We should at least give him a chance" and then under his breath, "Maybe you won't have to marry Kurt after all." He then turned back to Prince Devon. "I think Kurt will like this one!"

"And I'm pretty sure I'll like Prince Kurt!"

William wasn't going to lose this easily through, "Your highness, no. I must intercede on Kurt's behalf."

None of them noticed Kurt slipping in the side or the room and listening with his jaw clenched and his fist balled.

"This boy is no different than the others. What makes him think he is worthy of the Prince?"

"Your majesty, I am Prince Devon! Just let him meet me. I will win your son!"

That's when they all saw Kurt storming further into the room. "How dare you!" He shouted, voice shaking. "All of you, standing around deciding _my _future? I am not a prize to be won!" He glared at them all before turning and running from the room.

"No! Please!" Prince Devon called after him reaching out a hand and looking heartbroken.

"Don't worry." The Sultan said patting him on his back. "Give him time to cool off."

William just watched them with a stony expression. He wasn't going to let this Prince Devon win.

Mercedes had been just outside in the hallway when Kurt came rushing out towards her. "Can you believe them!" He cried flinging his hands out. "I will not marry someone who only wants me because I'm a Prince, because my Father is the most powerful Sultan across the lands. I am not something that you just get to give away!" He said his voice cracking.

"I know Kurt." She said as they walked back to his rooms.

"And there are so many things going wrong, I need to talk to my dad without William around. I need to figure out how to help our people. "

They entered his room and Kurt slumped back against the wall, his heart aching. "I need to stop thinking about Blaine."

* * *

Blaine paced back and forth in the garden of the palace. "What did I do! I'm such an idiot."

"Calm down kid." The Genie said.

"You don't understand, I ruined my chance. Kurt doesn't even want to see me! I should have known I couldn't pull off this stupid prince wish. Who really thinks I could be a prince?"

"Blaine, maybe you're trying too hard." The Genie said and the carpet bobbed up and down like it agreed.

"I have to be a prince! That's what Kurt is looking for. Genie I need your help."

"I'm not sure that _is_ what Kurt is looking for…" He said slowly. "I mean it has been years, well decades, well _centuries_, since I wooed anyone, but I think you should just be yourself."

"No way! If Kurt found out I was really some crummy street rat, he'd laugh at me."

"Did he laugh at you when he met you in the marketplace?" The Genie asked.

Blaine opened his mouth to speak and then slumped down on a bench. "No, he was kind and caring and wonderful."

"See, there you go."

Blaine sighed and looked up at the Genie, "I just can't mess this up, I don't want to lose him."

"Be. Your. Self." The Genie repeated. "Come on man."

Blaine stood and put his turban back on. "That's the last thing I want to be." He flipped his cape around his shoulders and stood with his hands confidently on his hips. "Okay, I'm going to go see him. I have to be smooth, cool, confident. How do I look?"

The Genie sighed, "Like… a prince."

Blaine nodded even as butterflies swarmed in his stomach, he had been so nervous when meeting the Sultan he knew he said things he didn't mean, now he just had to make up for it. "Come on carpet!"

He called and hopped on as the carpet flew into the air and towards the Prince's balcony hoping to make things up to Kurt.


	9. A Whole New World

For those who missed my earlier shout out, I wanted to let you all know that the wonderful artwork I'm using for this story is by lilienwolf, she was gracious enough to let me post it. The full picture and more of her art can be found on her Tumblr. Go check it out!

* * *

Blaine hopped off the carpet onto Kurt's balcony and heard voices from Kurt's room. He cleared his throat loudly and the talking stopped.

"Is someone out there?" Kurt called. And then both Kurt and a young woman came out to the balcony.

"Oh." Kurt said, looking unimpressed as he crossed his arms across his chest. "It's you." He turned to the young woman with him. "Will you give us a minute?" He asked and she nodded and left, but not before glaring daggers at Blaine first.

Blaine gulped as Kurt approached him.

"I do not want to see you." Kurt said with bite in his voice.

"No, no, please Prince." Blaine said feeling desperate. "Give me a chance."

"_Leave me alone_."

Blaine slipped his turban off nervously bunching it one hand as his other messed up his smooth hair, it was all wetted down hiding his curls, but he could feel them springing out as his worried his hand through it.

* * *

Kurt was about to turn and leave when he stopped. "Wait, wait. Do I know you?" Kurt was ready to be done with Prince Devon, other more weighty things on his mind, but for a moment there Devon looked… different, familiar somehow.

Prince Devon quickly put his Turban back on. "Uh, no, no."

Kurt took a step forward trying to see the prince in better light.

"You remind me of someone." He said, a picture of Blaine's laughing face filling his vision. "Someone I met in the marketplace." His throat felt tight, could it be? Or was his heart playing tricks on him?

"The marketplace?" Devon said quickly "I have servants that go to the marketplace for me. Why I even have servants who go to the marketplace for my servants, so it couldn't have been me you met."

Kurt's heart sunk. "No, I guess not." He turned to leave.

"Wait." Prince Devon called. "I just wanted a chance… to… to…"

Kurt turned back waiting. "To what?"

"To talk to you." Devon said.

Kurt clenched his jaw. "Really and what would we talk about? You? Your kingdom? You grant palace back home?

Devon blinked, "No… I we could talk about, you?"

Kurt lifted his eyebrow almost intrigued.

"You… you're…" Prince Blaine said a little awkwardly, which was almost endearing. "You're so... handsome." He fished lamely.

Kurt rolled his eyes. It wasn't that he didn't want someone who would find him attractive, but if that was all this prince had to say, he'd heard it before.

"Handsome?" Kurt repeated and walked closer, he'd show this arrogant prince just what he really thought of him. "Mmmmm, I'm rich too you know."Kurt stepped right up to Prince Devon.

"Yeah." Prince Devon gulped.

"The son of a powerful Sultan."

"I…I…know."

Kurt walked his fingers up Prince Devon's chest trying to ignore the fact that Devon had a broad firm chest.

"A fine prize for any prince to marry."

Devon blinked rapidly and for a moment Kurt thought he saw something there, something different.

"Yes!" Prince Devon said quickly. "A prince like me!"

Kurt's blood boiled. "Right, a prince like you. And every other stuffed shirt, swaggering, peacock I've met!"

"What? No!"

Kurt backed up and threw his hands in the air. "Why don't you just… just jump off the balcony!"

Kurt stared him down with as much fierceness as he could muster.

"Your right." Prince Devon said quietly.

"What?" Kurt said surprised, the angry look slipping from his face.

"You're right. You aren't just some prize to be won." Prince Devon looked down and shook his head. "You should be free to make your own choices."

Kurt looked at him in disbelief; did he just hear him right?

"I'll go now." Prince Devon said meekly, sounding sad.

Kurt watched as he turned and climbed up on the ledge of the balcony and then stepped off and fell out of sight."

"No!" Kurt yelled reaching out a hand and wondering if someone could survive that fall. And then Prince Devon's head popped back up over the ledge. "What? What?

Kurt blinked at him. "How… are you doing that?"

"Oh." Prince Devon smiled and Kurt's heart fluttered a little bit, he had a good smile. Then he flew up in the air and over the ledge a carpet under him. "It's a magic carpet."

Kurt walked up not able to keep his eye off the flying carpet. "That's… amazing."

"Do you want a ride?" Prince Devon said hopefully.

Kurt looked up at him, "I don't know."

"It's fun!" He said and bounced a little like a young boy. Okay, he was a little endearing, maybe just because he reminded Kurt of Blaine. The carpet lowered so Prince Devon was just a little higher than Kurt. "We could get out of the palace, see the sights."

"Is it safe?" Kurt asked, but he had pretty much made up his mind to say yes.

"Of course it is." Prince Devon held out his hand and smiled, he had wide, hopeful golden eyes that Kurt had just now noticed. "Do you trust me?"  
Then suddenly it was like everything shifted for Kurt, he felt as though a blinder had fallen from his eyes and he was no longer looking up at Prince Devon, but at Blaine. _His Blaine_.

Well, maybe he wasn't _his_, but it was the same man, the one he'd fallen for in the Marketplace. He was here and alive and holding out his hand and asking Kurt to trust him just like he had before. Kurt had so many questions, so many things he wanted to ask and say, but right now what was important was that, yes, he did trust Blaine.

"Yes." Kurt breathed and grabbed Blaine's hand. "I trust you."

Blaine pulled him up on the carpet and within moments they were soaring through the air. Kurt sat in front and Blaine… or Devon, he supposed that was his real name, sat behind him.

He felt Devon's hands start to move around his waist but then he paused and his soft voice tickled Kurt's ear. "May I?"

Kurt just nodded and then leaned back into Blaine's… _Devon's_ embrace as he looped his arms around him and held on from behind. The carpet was climbing higher and higher and Kurt couldn't believe the view, looking at the lights of his city below him and the stars sparkling above him.

"I can show you the world." Devon started singing sweetly into his ear. "Shining, shimmering, splendid. Tell me prince, now when did you last let your heart decide?"

Kurt was caught between wanting to just close his eyes lean against Blaine as he sang… there was no calling him Devon in his mind, and keeping his eyes open as to not miss a thing.

They looped around the city and over the gulf that separated them from another kingdom where they flew around seeing everything of beauty that kingdom had to show and they kept going.

Kurt saw more in the next few hours than he ever had in his life. Once Blaine had finished singing to him, and his voice had left Kurt only wanting more, they talked and pointed out sights and laughed.

Kurt was soaring on a magic carpet high above the ground and he had never felt so safe. Eventually they landed and sat on a rooftop to watch a celebration taking place in whatever city they were in now. Kurt scooted close to Blaine and leaned his head on his shoulder as Blaine wrapped an arm around his waist they both were quite as they watched the fireworks.

He decided it was time to get some answers. "This whole evening has been… magical." Kurt said and Blaine held him closer. "It's a shame Mike had to miss this." He said sitting up and watching Blaine out of the corner of his eye.

"Nah. He hates fireworks." Blaine said. "And he-" Then he stopped and looked at Kurt with wide eyes.

Kurt pulled Blaine's turban off to reveal his head of dark curls that had lost the battle of staying flat against his head.

"_Blaine_." Kurt said. "I know it's you. Why did you lie to me?"

"Kurt, I'm… I'm sorry." He said his eyes growing large and looking so scared and sad it almost hurt to look at them. But Kurt wasn't going to back down now.

"Who are you? Tell me the truth!"

"The truth?" Blaine repeated, looking nervous. He closed his eyes as his brow furrowed. "The truth is… I'm a prince." He said and then opened his eyes again.

That didn't make since to Kurt, so many people had seemed to know Blaine in the Marketplace, but then he had come into town with that huge parade. It didn't fit together; Kurt knew he was missing something.

"It's just that…" Blaine continued. "I sometimes dress as a commoner to escape the pressures of palace life."

Kurt narrowed his eyes. "You do?"

"Yeah." Blaine nudged him gently in the side. 'Not that you'd ever do anything like that, _Sebastian_." Kurt covered his face with his hands and groaned. 'Oh god, don't remind me. Sebastian is a slimy prince I hate."

Blaine laughed. "Kurt suites you so much better."

"And I guess that means you're Devon? I keep calling you Blaine in my head."

Blaine smiled. "That's okay… you could call me Blaine, if you wanted to. Like your own nick-name for me."

Kurt smiled "Blaine does seem right."

Blaine looked a little sad for a moment and then he smiled again. "So why were you in the Marketplace?"

"For the reason I told you. My father is forcing me to marry."

"And here I am as a suitor." Blaine said looking down, "I guess that doesn't really make me any better than, what was it you called me? A stuffed shirt, swaggering, peacock?"

Kurt laughed. "Well you seemed like one for a moment."

"I was nervous and kept saying stupid things."

"You aren't like the other princes." Kurt said. "I… I mean if I had to chose a suitor…" He trailed off his cheeks blushing.

"You shouldn't have to at all. I didn't come here to try and make you do anything you don't want to do."

Kurt looked up at him as his stomach swooped. Blaine was so sweet and kind. "then why did you come?"

Blaine bit his lip a little nervously, "Because once I met you I had to see you again. It didn't matter that you were a prince. I liked you were I thought you were just a streetrat like me. Um, like I was pretending to be."

Kurt couldn't find the right words to say so he just leaned his head back down on Blaine's shoulder. "I liked you too." He answered eventually. "A lot. I've been thinking of you ever since."

They stayed like that until the fireworks started dying down overhead. "We should probably be heading back." Kurt said reluctantly. "Though I never want this night to end."

Blaine's eyes sparkled. "We can always do it again sometime."

"I'm counting on it." Kurt said with a coy smile.

They both climbed back on the carpet and then made record time back to Kurt's balcony.

Blaine helped him down as he continued to stand on the carpet on the other side of the ledge.

"Goodnight Blaine." Kurt said staring at him and not wanting to say goodbye.

"Goodnight Kurt." He breathed back. Kurt couldn't help but look at Blaine's lips, so soft and inviting and close. Then the carpet seemed to scoot up a little and Blaine covered the few inches left for their lips to meet.

Kurt smiled and pressed his lips against Blaine's, loving the soft feel of his lips kissing him back. Then Kurt lifted his hands and tangled his fingers in Blaine's curls holding him close as Blaine gasped a little and parted his mouth, allowing Kurt's tongue to slide in. They stayed like that, their lips and tongues sliding together, until they had to break apart to breathe.

Kurt backed up, his heart doing somersaults in his chest as Blaine looked at him with mesmerized, beautiful eyes.

"See you in the morning?" Kurt asked hopefully.

"Yes, if that's what you want."

Kurt smiled so big is cheeks hurt and he glanced down, a little before looking Blaine in the eye again. "I do want that."

"Then I'll be here." Blaine said, his face still a picture of awe and happiness.

Finally Kurt forced himself to enter his room. He fell back against his bed and just started to laugh. He had never been so happy.


	10. A Sinister Plan

AN: Someone asked me why I made Blaine Aladdin and Kurt Jasmine and I've been meaning to answer that, but keep forgetting! In all honesty when I first started planning this story Kurt was going to be Aladdin because I wanted to write him in a more action-like role. But it turned out that writing in Burt was too much of a temptation.

It works so well, Jasmine mom isn't in the picture and has just her dad, and that was too much like Kurt for me to ignore. Anyway, in the end Kurt took the Jasmine role because I wanted to write the Kurt/Burt relationship. Then Blaine being the street rat hopping over things and running across roofs ended up feeling right too. So yeah, that's why. Thanks for asking nonny!

I also wanted to thank you all for your kind reviews, they mean a lot to me and I am so glad to know people are enjoying this story, writing a story from a movie I know we all love ended up being harder than I thought. If you have any other questions send them my way. :)

Okay, I'll hush now. On with the show!

* * *

Blaine watched Kurt walk away and then he leaped into the air and started to fall, but the carpet quickly caught him and then lazily made its way back down to the garden. Blaine laid on his back looking up at the stars. He heart was full. He was so in love. Everything was going perfectly… well, almost perfectly, he hated lying to Kurt. Maybe he should just trust Kurt… Kurt trusted him.

He sighed, he had to figure something out. He wished Mike was around to talk too. He got up from the carpet and pulled his turban off, he was going to reach for the lamp to talk to the Genie and get his advice, but suddenly he was grabbed from behind. Strong hands pinned his arms behind his back.

"Hey! Stop!" Blaine yelled, but then a cloth was stuffed in his mouth and tied around the back of his head effectively keeping him from yelling. He watched as two of the Royal Guard grabbed the carpet before it could fly away and tie it around a palm tree as they laughed watching it try to get away.

"Mmmmfph!" Blaine tried to make enough noise through the gag to get someone's attention, but it didn't seem to do any good. It was the very early hours of the morning and no one was in the garden and Kurt's window was high above him.

He didn't understand what was going on. Did the Sultan find out the truth about him? But if he was being arrested why did they gag him?

Then Hunter strode into his line of sight a dark look on his face. The Genie's magic was meant to keep people from recognizing Blaine, but Kurt had seen who he really was, he wondered if Hunter saw it too. He was certainly looking at Blaine with enough distain.

"Come on men!" Hunter called. "William has ordered us to _deal_ with this prince."

They roughly tied his hands so Blaine just started kicking out at them so they tied his and feet as well. Then they scooped him off the ground and no matter how he struggled he couldn't get away. They marched him out of the back of the palace and down a long road he wondered if he'd ever see the palace or see Kurt again. They stopped when they reached the edge of a cliff, Blaine could hear waves breaking far below.

They were going to toss him off of a cliff? They wouldn't really kill a prince would they?

The lamp was still in his turban which Blaine had managed to stuff quickly into the waistband of his pants before they tied him up, but he couldn't get to it. Then one of the bigger guards walked up to the group with a heavy ball and chain, he locked the chain onto Blaine's ankle.

Blaine had just enough time to realize they _really_ were going to try to kill him before he was flying through the air. No, not flying, he knew what flying felt like, he was falling. Down, down, down, he closed his eyes in terror, if he hit any rocks below that would kill him. But then with a stinging plash he hit the water below and sunk deep into the ocean.

He opened his eyes again and tried to twist his body towards the surface, he fought and struggled, but there was no way to swim back up, he was tied up and bound to a heavy weight, the ball and chain dragging him down to the bottom.

Blaine couldn't even kick out or try to paddle because of the way he was bound. He thrashed around in the water for a long moment as his lungs started to burn. He might actually die here. _No_ not after everything he'd gone through to get to Kurt, he loved Kurt and it seemed that Kurt might actually feel the same way, it couldn't end like this.

Then he saw his turban float down a few feet away from him, the lamp shimmering within it. Blaine let out a gargled cry and started pulling forward, trying to get to the lamp. He couldn't do it though, the weight held him back and his head and vision started to swim.

His chest felt tight like it might burst with needing air. He scooted forward a little but was still too far to reach the lamp, his vision grew dark and then all the air in his lungs bubbled out of his mouth towards the surface as he slumped forward. And everything went black.

Blaine gasped as his lungs filled with air, burning and feeling so sore, but he was at least breathing. He blinked open his eyes and then curled up coughing, salt water burning his throat and nose. He finally caught his breath enough to look up and see the Genie knelling beside him, rubbing Blaine's back and looking worried.

"That was too close." The Genie said.

"What h-happened?" Blaine wheezed out.

"Well, you took a dive man. Decided to go for a little swim while tied up and bound to a ball and chain. Do you know how dangerous that is?."

"Genie…"

The Genie rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled weakly, face grave."But seriously, I thought you were going to die, what did happen?"

"I was… taken... the guards." Blaine tried to stand but his legs weren't steady yet.

The Genie helped him back to the ground. "Whoa, you scared the crap out of me. Just take it easy for a minute." The Genie said looking him over to make sure he was really okay.

"How did I… Genie, you saved me?"

The Genie smiled. "Well, it was a wish. I couldn't do it unless it was a wish."

"I didn't…"

"You nodded." The Genie said. "It was enough for me."

"Thanks Genie." Blaine smiled before a thought hit him. "Wait…" He sprang to his feet, leaning on the Genie a little as he did. "If the guards are trying to kill me because they are working for William." He glanced back at towards the palace. "Kurt could be in danger!"

"Come on kid." The Genie said, growing in size, I'll give you a lift back to the palace.

"Thanks Genie."

"Just don't scare me like that again."

Blaine smirked a little. "Ah Genie I didn't know you cared."

The Genie rolled his eyes and lifted Blaine up on his large shoulders. "Come on, it isn't like I want to pick out curtains or anything."

* * *

Kurt couldn't go to sleep or sit still he was too happy, too excited, he flitted around his room humming the tune Blaine had sung earlier. He turned around when he heard someone enter his room and saw his dad. He was still upset with his father, but anger took second place to his happiness right now and Kurt rushed forward.

"Dad!" He called joyfully. "I've found a suitor. I mean I've chosen a suitor. If I still have to marry than I choose-"

"A suitor has been chosen for you." Burt said in monotone.

"What? No. Do you mean Bl-Devon? Because that's…"

"You are to wed William."

Kurt stopped, too shocked to move or speak, then he saw William slide into the room. Kurt just blinked at him, not comprehending what was happening.

"You're speechless, I see." William said. "A fine quality in a husband."

Kurt was jolted out of his shock. "No! I will never marry you." He turned to his father. "Father, I choose Prince Devon!"

His father just stood still, staring at nothing. What was wrong with him?

"Ah yes, but Prince Devon doesn't want to marry you." William said.

Kurt turned to him and glared. "You don't know what you're talking about." His heart beat faster, he knew Blaine cared about him, he did. He wouldn't let William poison the truth.

William shrugged, "It seems Prince Devon has made a hasty exit, he just left. I guess you couldn't charm him after all."

Kurt didn't believe him, he looked at William and the smug almost evil look on his face.

"What have you done?" Kurt asked feeling afraid for Blaine.

"He tried to have me killed!" Blaine shouted. Kurt turned to see Blaine coming in through the balcony entrance. Kurt closed his eyes briefly and breathed in relief before anger took over.

"You tried to have him killed!" He shouted at William.

"Ridiculous nonsense, your highness." William said turning to the Sultan. "These young people think they can get away with anything." He brought the staff close to the Sultan's face. "He's obviously lying."

"Obviously lying." Burt repeated sluggishly.

"Father! What's wrong with you?" Then Kurt saw it, how had he never seen it before? His father stood transfixed, starring at the ruby red eyes of William's serpent staff.

Kurt grabbed the staff and yanked it out of William's unsuspecting grasp; he lifted it high in the air and then smashed it down _hard_ on the ground shattered pieced of the serpent's head bouncing off of the tiled floor. A purple smoke rose out of the smashed and a putrid smell like something rotting.

Kurt looked up at his dad who blinked his eyes and looked around like he didn't even know where he was. His eyes looked clearer than they had for years. "What... What just happened?"

"William has been controlling you with this!" Kurt said lifting up the broken staff, his throat filling with tears of relief, would this mean he'd actually get his father back?

"What?" He father's eyes flashed with anger as he advanced on William. "You traitor!"

"Your majesty, all of this can be explained."

But the Sultan wouldn't hear any of it, "Guards! Guards!" He yelled. "You have infected my mind" Burt growled. "You have made me hurt my kingdom,_ my son_. You will pay for this!"

The Guards entered and were ordered to arrest William. William looked panicked for a moment as his eyes scanned the Sultan, and Kurt and then Blaine... and then his eyes narrowed and a wicked smile turned up his lips as he looked a Blaine.

Kurt didn't like that look, he instinctively took a step between William and Blaine.

"This is not done yet, boy!" William yelled at Blaine as the guards grabbed him. He lifted up a fist and smashed something on to ground. The room was filled with a heavy smoke filling Kurt's lungs and making him cough. When it finally cleared the two palace guards who had been holding William were just wrestling each other.

"Find him, search everywhere!" The Sultan commanded.

Kurt turned to face Blaine. "Blaine, are you alright?" He said his eyes scanning him for any sign of injury, he was dripping from head to toe for some reason, but otherwise seemed okay.

Blaine smiled and pulled him in close, Kurt didn't even mind that it meant he got wet too as Blaine brushed some hair off Kurt's forehead.

"Yes, I'm fine." He smiled and leaned in for a kiss, but they were interrupted by Kurt's father. "Kurt." He said grabbing Kurt's arms and looking him in the eye. "I am sorry son... I… I couldn't break away, sometimes I knew something was wrong, but..." His dad looked close to tears and it hurt Kurt's heart to see him this way. He wrapped his father it a hug and held him tight.

"I've missed you dad." He said. They stayed like that for a long moment before breaking apart; Kurt wiped his eyes and turned to look at Blaine who had stepped back a little to let them be.

Burt looked back and forth between Kurt and Blaine. "Wait..." He said, a smile forming on his lips. "What is this?" Kurt reached out towards Blaine who hurried to his side and held his hand.

"I was trying to tell you I've found a suitor." Kurt stopped, suddenly nervous, he looked back at Blaine. "That is if he'll have me."

Blaine leaned forward and captured Kurt's lips in a soft sweet kiss. "Yes, of course Kurt."He breathed against his skin.

Burt burst out laughing, the happy full sound of it filling the room. "This is wonderful!" He said and scooped them booth up in a bear hug. "Just wonderful. The two of you will be married and then one day you'll both rule together as Sultans! I am so happy for you both!"

Kurt couldn't help but join in the laughter, the two people most important to him in the world by his side. He didn't notice Blaine pull away slightly looking uneasy.


	11. Exposed

I can't believe how fast we are getting through this story just a few more chapters left and the chapter after this is one of my favorites. Anyway, this part is a little short, but I hope you enjoy it! Thanks again for all of your feeback I love to hear from you.

* * *

Blaine sat on the soft, plush bed provided for him in the guest quarters. Despite the beautiful room he'd been given Blaine had hardly slept a wink. He didn't get back to his quarters until the sun was already rising, after spending most of the night traveling on the carpet with Kurt and then being kidnapped by the guards and the confirmation with William. He had also explained to the Sultan and Kurt that some of the Royal Guards may be loyal to William, the Sultan said he'd take care of it.

By time he got back he should have been so exhausted that he'd fall right to sleep. He was exhausted, but he couldn't sleep. He just kept thinking about how Kurt's father had told him that some day he would rule as Sultan with Kurt.

The thought left him anxious. After all the time he had spent dreaming of what life would be like in the palace here he was! But that didn't mean he was ready to rule. He was just a poor orphan, he'd never actually wanted to be Sultan, he just wanted to be with Kurt.

He changed into a fresh pair of clothes and then sighed and fell back on his bed. "I can't be Sultan, especially if it means continuing to lie to Kurt about who I am. But I can't tell the truth because then they'll know I'm not a prince!" Blaine groaned and grabbed the lamp from his turban. He rubbed it and the Genie pooped out.

"Blaine! Blainey boy. My Blaine-a-kins!"

"Um…" Blaine looked at the Genie with a smile and a lifted eyebrow.

"Hey! I'm in a good mood." The Genie said. "You got the boy, the bad guy is on the run. Not bad right?"

Blaine bit his lip and nodded.

"And let me see here…" The Genie continued. "You used one wish to become a prince and one wish to avoid becoming fish food. Hummm… what does that mean?" He stroked his chin and winked at Blaine.

"I've used two of my three wishes."

"Ah ha!" The Genie whooped. "And that means…?"

"Genie." Blaine said standing from the bed. "If I wish you free what does that mean happens to my statues as prince?"

"If?" The Genie asked. "_If_ you wish me free?"

Blaine's stomach sank, he hated this. "What would happen?"

"Well, I don't know. I've never been wished free before." The Genie said a little sarcastically, "But I would assume that'd mean my magic was gone, I mean… you wouldn't be my Master anymore would you?"

"Meaning all the fancy clothes and the entourage I came with would be gone. Meaning that the charm that makes people see me as Prince Devon would be gone. Meaning I would just be Blaine?"

"Hey man," The Genie said kindly. "Blaine is a great guy. There's nothing wrong with being Blaine."

"Yes there is!" Blaine said throwing his hands in the air and pacing. "I wouldn't be a prince, and that means…" He turned to look at the Genie with sad eyes. "I'd lose Kurt."

"So… What are you saying?"

"I'm sorry Genie, I want too, but I can't wish you free."

The Genie stood stunned for a moment and then his face twisted in hurt and anger. "Of course not! Of course! Why would I have thought you'd do something for me? Who cares about a Genie! Well thanks for nothing! You're just a liar anyway aren't you? You've lied to everyone else and you'll continue to lie, I was beginning to feel left out!" He said, his whole body was trembling and it actually looked like this big tough Genie was about to cry.

"Genie…"

"No. I'm done with you." The Genie finished and with a poof of smoke he returned to his lamp.

"Genie. Genie I'm so sorry… I don't want it to be like this… I…" He closed his eyes as a sinking feeling took over him. Who was he? This wasn't him. He didn't hurt his friends. He placed the lamp down on the bed. "I have to fix this." He said.

"Blaine?" He turned and saw Kurt standing by the door. Wearing pale blue pants and a tunic to match, his hair was swooped up and a crown was on his head. He looked incredible. "Come on." He said reaching out his hand to Blaine. "My father has an announcement."

Blaine nodded slowly and then took his hand following him down a hall way to meet the Sultan. Blaine had to do what was right, he'd made up his mind. It was going to hurt so much, but he couldn't keep lying to the people he cared about.

"Kurt." He said seriously. "I have something I need to tell you."

They stopped right outside of a set of curtains. Kurt tilted his head and looked at him and then placed a hand softly on his cheek. "What's wrong?"

Blaine closed his eyes and covered Kurt's hand with his own enjoying the warm press of Kurt's skin against his own, he was going to savor this moment because it was going to be one of the last he had with Kurt. Finally he opened his eyes again to see Kurt looking at him worriedly.

"Kurt I…"

"Kurt! Blaine!" Burt said coming through the curtains with a huge smile. "It's time."

Kurt smiled at Blaine. "I'm want to hear what you have to say Blaine." He said squeezing his hand. "We'll come back to this, promise. But first we have to do something." He pulled him forward following his father through the curtains where they came out on a balcony overlooking the city square.

"My people!" The Sultan shouted lifting his arms. "I am happy to tell you that my son, Prince Kurt has chosen a suitor!"

The people below them cheered and Blaine started to feel sick to his stomach.

"I present to you, Prince Devon!"

Kurt nudged him forward and suddenly he was standing before the entire city as they cheered and chanted his name. He was in so much trouble.

He turned to glance at Kurt who had such a look of happiness on his face that Blaine's heart broke a little.

"Kurt." He said desperately.

Then before he could say anything else there was a crash and several cries of fear from the people below and the balcony filled with smoke as the ground trembled. Kurt grabbed Blaine's hands and tugged him close.

"I keep almost losing you." Kurt said as the smoke started to clear. "Whatever is happening please stay close to me.

Blaine coughed and nodded and then gulped down a quick breath as the smoke cleared. There standing on the balcony was William.

"William!" The Sultan shouted. "What do you think you're doing you can't-"" But before he could finish the Sultan was lifted off of his feet into the air.

"Dad!" Kurt shouted. They watched as the Sultan's clothes spun around him and then slid over to William reshaping to fit him and dress William as Sultan. Burt was left in the clothes of a peasant

"What happening!" Kurt shouted. "Guards arrest this vile betrayer!"

"That's Sultan Vile Betrayer to you!" William said with a smirk.

Blaine reached for the lamp to make sure he had it, but he didn't he'd left it on the bed back in his rom. It hit him what must be going on. "Oh no. No, no no."

"Look what I found." William said staring straight at Blaine and lifting up the Genie's lamp.

"No no no." Blaine said stunned. Kurt tightened his grasp on Blaine's hand but neither of them had a chance to say anything more as the trembling increased and then they looked up to see a gigantic, fierce looking Genie lifting the palace up into the air to set in high on a nearby hill.

"Oh my god." Kurt said fear in his voice. "What is that?"

"A Genie." Blaine said feeling defeated.

"_My_ Genie." William corrected and both Kurt and Blaine turned their gaze away from the Genie to look at William. "Now bow before your lord and Sultan!"

Burt clenched his fist. "Never."

"We will never bow to you." Kurt echoed, looking very much like his dad.

"Fine!" William bellowed, but if you won't bow before a Sultan than you will cower before a sorcerer!"

He looked up at the Genie. "Genie, for my second wish, I wish to be the most powerful sorcerer in the world!"

"No! Genie don't!" Blaine cried.

The Genie just shook his head. "I'm sorry kid, I have a new master now."

With another swirl of smoke William's serpent head staff appeared brand new and looking more evil than ever. William clutched it in his hand, and then with a laugh he pointed it towards Kurt and the Sultan and they were instantly thrown to the ground, on their knees bowing before William. Kurt's hand had been yanked from Blaine's grasp.

"Stop!" Blaine cried and then William set his sights on him zapping him with his staff so he was frozen in place, then he tilted Kurt's face up with the end of his staff.

"Oh Prince, there's someone I so want you to meet."

Blaine suddenly found himself lifted into the air his clothes swirling and transforming much like the Sultans clothes had. He could hear Kurt shouting his name but his arms were locked against his body and he was dangling upside down, his princely clothes returning to his own rags.

"My I introduce, not Prince Devon, not a prince all, but the lowly _worthless_ sewer rat, Blaine!"

Kurt met Blaine's eyes looking confused.

"Kurt, I wanted to tell you." He started, but didn't get to say anymore.

"I grow tired of you." William said and then with a swing of his staff Blaine was whisked away to one of the towers of the palace, and then with a mighty jolt and a rumble the tower flew through the air far out of sight.

* * *

"NO!" Kurt yelled as the tower sped off to crash who knew where. "Please." Kurt turned to William "Please, bring him back. Don't hurt him."

"Ah I see we've gone from 'I will never bow to you!' to groveling quite quickly.

William knelt down and looked Kurt in the eyes. "I like it when you grovel."


	12. The Battle for the Lamp

Only one more chapter after this and _maybe_ an epilogue. I'm not sure about that yet. Thanks so much for reading and for all of your comments you are all so lovely!

* * *

Blaine tried to hang on to anything as the tower went barreling through the sky. Luckily it was spinning madly as it moved; the motion made him feel a little sick, but also kept him flattened against the wall. A good thing because he would probably be smashed to bits otherwise.

After what seemed like forever the tower hit the hard ground, it bounced a little and Blaine was knocked around like a rag doll. When it finally came to rest Blaine was curled up on the floor, well actually what use to be a wall of the tower, but now that it is on its side it seemed like the floor. He slowly lifted his head and took stock of his injuries. He was a little banged up and there was a long cut on his cheek but it didn't seem very deep.

He stood on wobbly legs and made his way out of the tower. He blinked and sucked in a startled breath, it was so cold. An icy wind hit his face and made his whole body shutter. He squinted his eyes, everything around him was bright white, covered in snow. He looked down at his thin pants and old vest and bare feet realizing he wouldn't last long here. Wherever here was.

He turned in a circle on the spot looking for anything else besides snow; he had to get back home. Not just for himself but for Kurt, Kurt was in danger and it was entirely his fault. William wouldn't have the lamp or the Genie if it wasn't for him.

"I s-hould have j-ust fr-freed the Genie l-like I pro-promised." He said to himself as his teeth chattered. He wrapped his arms around his torso trying to keep in the little warmth he had. He had no idea what he was going to do, the wind whipped snow and sleet into his face and he tried to trudged forward, staying here wasn't going to help anything.

He started to slowly move past the tower and something caught his eye.

"Carpet!" He yelled and ran to the wall of the tower where the magic carpet was caught halfway under it. "You're here!" He started tugging on the carpet with all his might until the carpet finally wiggled free.

"I could kiss you." Blaine said and the carpet just happily spun around him. "We have to get back home. Kurt and the whole kingdom are in danger." The carpet saluted with its tassel and then swept under Blaine's feet carrying him into the air and back towards home.

Blaine's heart was in his throat, hoping he wasn't too late.

Kurt wanted to cry in anger and frustration, but he wouldn't give William the satisfaction. Making sure Kurt and Burt knew their place was first thing William did after he sent Blaine off to… Kurt shuttered, he couldn't help thinking that William may have sent Blaine off to his death. But no, he wouldn't let himself think like that. He couldn't, things were bad enough without that horrible thought plaguing him.

He father was magically redressed again, this time as a jester, he was tied to a wooden bar that hovered in the air holding him in place. William had gagged him as well when he wouldn't stop shouting and trying to free himself telling William he was going to tear him apart every time he touched or even got close to Kurt.

Kurt on the other hand was now wearing a very revealing pair of dark red pants that hung low on his hips, the only other thing he had on were the silver cuffs around his wrist that were chained to William's throne. They were long enough to allow Kurt to move around some, but not go far.

At the moment he was being forced to feed William grapes as he lounged on the throne and enjoyed his new position of power.

"You know _Kurt_." William emphasized the fact that Kurt was no longer '_Prince Kurt_' as he munched on the grapes. "I could make you do many number of things you'd find much less appealing than serving me grapes." He eyes roamed up and down Kurt's body and Kurt could feel his skin flush pink under William gaze.

"I would never." Kurt said.

"I don't need your permission." William said, leaning forward and looking angry. "There is nothing I can't make you do."

Kurt felt his stomach churn with cold fear. How could he fight off someone as powerful as William?

"However," William continued. "I'd much rather you agreed to it. A beautiful desert bloom such as yourself should be on the arm of the most powerful man in the world."

He waved his finger in the air and a gleaming golden crown appeared. "You shouldn't have to be a slave, I could make you prince again, on one condition."

Kurt knew no matter what the condition was he wouldn't agree, so he didn't reply. William ignored his silence.

"All you'd have to do is marry me."

Kurt felt like he was going to be sick. "I will never marry you!" Kurt yelled and tossed the bronze bowl of grapes at William. He ducked the bowl dropping the golden crown in the process and then smirked back at Kurt.

"Yes, but you also said you wouldn't bow, and moments later I had you on your knees begging."

Kurt's mouth went dry.

William looked over to where the Genie sat nearby, slumped down on the steps with his back to the scene, like he couldn't bear to see the things his magic had done.

"Genie." William called and the Genie looked at him over his shoulder. "I know what my final wish will be."

Kurt's throat tightened in worry. What was he going to do to him?

"I wish for Kurt to fall madly, _desperately_ in love with me.

"No." Kurt gasped, "No!"

His father started tugging harder on the ropes holding him.

The Genie looked at little frightened as he stood slowly to his feet. "Well you see Master, there are a few provisos, some quid pro quo-"

"Don't talk back to me, I am the one with the power! You will do what I order you to do, slave!"

Just then Kurt glanced up as saw Blaine on the other side of the large room peeking around a curtain; he locked eyes with Kurt and gave him a little smile before bringing his finger to his lips.

Kurt closed his eyes and took a deep breath, relief flooding through him. And he knew what he had to do. He leaned down and picked up the fallen crown placing it on his head as he slowly walked towards William.

"William! I never realized how incredibly handsome you are."

William looked back towards Kurt, turning away from Blaine. "What?"

"What?" The Genie repeated looking confused and glancing down at his hand like he wasn't sure what he had just done.

"That's better." William said with a smile. "Now my porcelain doll, tell me more about...myself."

Kurt has to fight everything within him not to grimace at the pet name as he walked up to William and stopped mere inches away. "You're tall..." Kurt was scrambling for things to say as he glanced to Blaine and watched him inch towards to lamp that had been sitting in the open, but well out of Kurt's grasp.

"Go on." William said placing a hand on Kurt's hip.

Kurt shuttered at the touch and only hoped William would miss read the reaction. "And your hair is so… twisted." Kurt said running a hand through William's hair. "And your chin has such a handsome cleft."

"And the street rat?"

Kurt looped his arms around William's neck as Blaine crept closer and closer to the lamp. It hurt him to say it, but he pushed on, "What street rat?"  
But William must have sensed something from the corner of his eye because he started to turn and look behind him. Adrenaline pumped through Kurt, they were too close for William to catch Blaine now. So Kurt grabbed William's face with his hands turning him back towards himself and planted a kiss on his lips.

Kurt wanted to shout in repulsion, but made himself stand still as William started to get into the kiss. Kurt just hoped this would buy Blaine the time he needed because he was thoroughly disgusted at this point.

They broke apart and Williams's lips curled into a smile. "You are so-" He started but then froze, staring at Kurt's crown.

"You!" He shouted and spun around to face Blaine. He must have seen a reflection in the crown. "How many times do I have to kill you, boy!" William raged.

He lifted his staff and sent some kind of current towards Blaine knocking him off his feet and making him slip on the ground away from the lamp, but not before Blaine was able to knock it off the stand it had been on making it hit the ground and bounce towards William and Kurt.

Kurt rushed forward to get to Blaine, but William just swung his staff and hit Kurt knocking him on his ass. He then turned back to Blaine and waved his hand freezing him in place.

"Get the lamp!" Blaine cried and Kurt turned to reach for it, but then he felt like he'd been hit with a violent gush of wind and was thrown off of his feet.

"Oh Kurt." William tutted. "It didn't have to be this way, we could have been together. Just remember this is what you chose."

Kurt struggled to his feet. "You won't win William!" He shouted full of anger.

"I already have won." William said with a growl.

Kurt looked up when sand started to fall on his head. He glanced around and realized he was trapped in a giant glass sand timer and the sand was quickly filling the bottom glass, ready to bury him.

"Kurt!" He heard Blaine shout in fear.  
William laughed as he released Blaine from his magical hold. Kurt held his breath as Blaine rushed forward, not towards William, but again towards to lamp.

"I don't think so!" William smirked as Blaine fell forward on his face, the ground beneath his feet tilting up making it too steep to walk on. Blaine slid back and hit the wall behind him with a thud.

Kurt winced, he hated to see Blaine get hurt, but he couldn't stop watching, he had to know what was happening. Kurt started to pound against the glass trying to break it, but it was too thick for his fist to break.

Kurt's heart was hammering in his chest, he looked over at his father, struggling against his binds, but unable to free himself, to the Genie who stood still, a look of horror on his face, and back to Blaine as he got back on his feet and turned to face William, with his fist clenched and his face red with anger. Meanwhile, the glass was filing up with sand and Kurt knew he didn't have much time left. Things didn't look good.

"_Blaine_." He breathed, wishing there was a way to tell him how much he loved him, that he didn't care if he was a poor orphan, but everything was all happening so fast.

"Is that the best you can do!" Blaine shouted at as he regained his feet and the ground went back to being level. William rolled his eyes and waved his hands and a bunch of swords appeared out of nowhere and started flying towards Blaine.

"Blaine! Duck!" Kurt cried, thinking he was about to watch Blaine get skewered. Blaine ducked and rolled to the side, he was light on his feet, the swords missed him but barely, one of them gazed his arm, and Kurt could see a line of red blood drip down Blaine's arm.

Kurt pounded on the glass until his hands hurt, he was helpless, the sand was rising and all he could do was watch the man he loved face William and all his newly found power.

Blaine glanced at him, looking worried, the sand was at Kurt's waist, he then grabbed one of the swords from the wall and started to walk towards William.

William smirked and flicked his wrist again, a large block of stone came smashing down in front of Blaine and then was pulled back up in the air, there were half a dozen stones floating in the air and they came down one by one hitting the ground and making tile fly as Blaine dodged left and then rolled right. Every time another one hit Kurt flinched, afraid it would be the one to crush Blaine, bur he was making headway getting closer to William with the sword still in his hand.

William just looked amused, he was playing with Blaine, he could kill him easily, but instead he wanted to make him work. The sand was up to Kurt's shoulders when Blaine made it past the stones. Blaine glanced at him and looked a little panicked before he turned back to William. He pointed the sword at William like a challenge.

"Are you afraid to fight me yourself, you cowardly snake?"

"A snake, am I?" William said with a devilish grin on his face. "Perhaps you'd like to see how snake-like I can be!" His tongue stuck out of his mouth but it wasn't a human tongue anymore, it was long and thin and forked at the end. He hissed at Blaine and then started too grown and morph, turning himself into a giant cobra.

The sand had reached Kurt's neck, he turned to look at his dad, but then turned away not able to take the look of fear on his face. Kurt pressed his hands against the glass, not even blinking as he watched, fear making his muscles tight. William was huge; his long thick body circled around Blaine who looked around himself frantically like he wasn't sure where to strike first. Then Kurt let out a shout as the snake dove for Blaine, trying to swallow him whole. Blaine moved out of the way fast enough and used the momentum to throw the sword in the air towards William The weapon looked tiny compared to William's massive form, it circled through the air and hit William sinking its blade into William's eye.

William cried out in pain and Kurt wanted to cheer, but the sand was over his mouth now and he was tilting his head back to keep from completely going under.

Blaine rolled away from William and looked Kurt in the eye as he scrabbled towards to timer.

"Hang on Kurt!" He called but then he was yanked back, William coiled himself around Blaine and lifted him the air.

Kurt lifted his hand over his head and banged on the glass again, as William started to squeeze Blaine. The sand blocked Kurt's view after that, his hand slid down the glass as he was completely covered and unable to breathe.

* * *

Blaine watched, full of dread as Kurt head was little by little covered by the sand. He was in William's clutches and could do nothing to save him. He watched as the hand pressed against the glass above Kurt's head slowly slid down and got covered by sand like the rest of him.

"Kurt!" Blaine yelled and fought against William's grasp. He had to do something _now_ or Kurt was dead.

Blaine gasped for air as William started to squeeze.

"Did you really think you could beat me?" William shouted his voice bouncing off the walls. "You are nothing without your Genie and I? I am the most powerful being on earth!"

Blaine pulled in as much air in his lungs as he could trying to stay focused, he needed an idea fast. Blaine blinked, looking back and forth between the Genie's stricken face and the huge snake.

"The Genie!" He gasped out. "The Genie has more power than you'll ever have!"

"What!" William bellowed. He loosened his hold on Blaine slightly so he could speak.

Blaine smiled. "He gave you your power, he can take it away!"

He heard the Genie from below him. "Blaine, no. Bad idea."

"Face it William!" Blaine said as he continued to squirm, very aware of how long Kurt had been under the sand. He could see the Sultan from here and his face was stricken with grief he gazed at the timer that had swallowed his son.

Blaine stared at William in the face, one eye still had the sword in it and was oozing, but William was still about to win. "The Genie has more power than you! You're still just second best!" This had to work; it had too or Blaine was going to lose everything.

"You're right." William said, sounding angry and surprised. "His power does exceed my own! But not for long!" He dropped Blaine and he hit the ground with a wince of pain and a thump Blaine wasted no time in grabbing a wooden chair from nearby as he rushed, his heart hammering, to the timer. He lifted the chair and smashed it against the timer shattering the glass. Sand poured out of the timer along with Kurt, who laid motionless on the ground.

"Kurt!" Blaine cried and knelt down scooping Kurt up into his arms. "Please Kurt." He breathed, so scared he felt he almost felt numb. Kurt laid perfectly still and limp for a moment and Blaine chest ached, then Kurt started to cough and wheeze. Blaine turned him to his side as he spat out sand and then sat up on his hands and knees.

"Oh thank god." Blaine said as he blinked back tears and kept a hand on Kurt's back. They didn't get time for any kind of reunion though; William, still in his snake form was circling the Genie.

"The street rat it right." He hissed. "You are more powerful than I am."

"The boy is crazy." The Genie laughed nervously. "Look at you! You're so powerful and evil…"

"Slave, I make my third wish!" William interrupted "I wish to be an all powerful Genie!"

The Genie froze for a moment and almost looked like he was about to smile, before he nodded seriously. "All right, your wish is my command."

The Genie glanced at Blaine out of the corner of his eye and then zapped with his magic. William and his snake body dissipated and slowly turned into a frightenly enormous fiery red Genie.

Kurt looked at Blaine with round eyes. "What have you done?"

"Oh feel that!" William roared, "I can feel the power all through me. The power!" William laughed. "The absolute power!"

Blaine smiled at Kurt, wanting to kiss him, but knowing it wasn't the time. " Trust me."

A dark purple genie lamp appeared on the ground near William and Blaine rose to his feet, Kurt grabbed his hand and stood as well.

"Seriously, you aren't going anywhere without me anymore." He said and they walked together to the lamp; Blaine picked it up from the ground and craned his head back to look at William.

"The universe is mine to command, to control!" William continued to rant.

"That's not exactly right, William!" Blaine called out triumphantly. "Aren't you forgetting something?

William looked at him with a wicked snarl.

"You wanted to be a genie, you got it! And everything that goes with it!" Blaine looked at the Genie. "You want to explain?"

The Genie made himself grow to the size of William as he looked him in the face. "All the power in the universe. Itty-bitty living space."

"What?" William bellowed. Instantly William started to swirl and be sucked into his lamp, like water being pulled down a drain. With one lone scream and a poof of purple smoke he disappeared. Blaine held the lamp up. "And it doesn't look like you have a master to let you out."

The Genie shrank back down to size and held his hand out for the lamp, "May I?"

Blaine handed it to him and the Genie flicked it off of his hand sending it high into the air and out a window and across the dessert. "A few millenia in the cave of wonders should take care of that."  
"Blaine… you did it." Kurt said from beside him and Blaine turned to look at him. Kurt's clothes had turned back to normal and when Blaine looked, the Sultan was no longer tied up and was again dressed as Sultan. The ground shook and in moments the palace was repaired and back to where it belonged. William's magic as sorcerer was gone.

Looked at him up and down, his bruises and the gasp on his arm, he reached a hand up to the cut on Blaine cheek. "I'm okay Kurt." He said. Kurt immediately wrapped his arms around Blaine. After a moment hesitation, because Blaine still didn't know what came next, he held Kurt back.

"You did it." Kurt repeated and buried his face in the crook of Blaine's neck. Blaine sighed into the embrace feeling at home with Kurt warm and safe against him. After a moment Blaine saw that the Sultan was walking towards him with a serious look on his face.

It was time to face the truth.


	13. Happily Ever After

Sorry about the wait for this last chapter. I didn't have access to the right computer this weekend to be able to post it. Thank you all for reading!

* * *

Kurt felt right having Blaine in his arms. He had known him for such a short time, but he knew his feelings for him were real and strong. The problem was he just kept almost losing him, he hoped that all of that was over now that William was gone, but just encase he felt like he should keep his arms around Blaine a little longer.

Blaine melted into his hold, his hands holding firmly onto Kurt's back, but then he felt Blaine tense and Kurt moved his head from against Blaine's neck to look him in the face. He's golden eyes were troubled and sad and Kurt's followed Blaine's line of sight.

Burt stood there with a grave look on his face. He was dressed as Sultan again and Kurt smiled. Finally slipping his arms from Blaine so he could go tackle his dad with a hug instead.

"He's gone." Kurt said joyfully. 'William is gone!"

Burt chuckled and held Kurt rubbing his hand against his back. "I'm sorry I ever let him into our lives." He said somberly. Kurt just squeezed his eyes tight and hugged him harder. He had his dad back.

Kurt turned when he heard Blaine talking behind him. He and the Genie were off to the side talking to each other and seemingly fighting. Both he and his dad walked over.

"Just _wish_ to stay a prince." He heard the Genie say under his breath. "You can still be with him."

"I can't Genie." Blaine answered. "I don't want to lie anymore and I made you a promise besides-" But then he stopped and they both looked at Kurt and his dad, just now noticing their approach.

"Who are you son?" Burt asked looking at Blaine.

Kurt's jaw clenched in worry. He had already figured this out on his own. Blaine was… _Blaine_. He wasn't a prince; he was the orphan Kurt had met the first time. He must have somehow come across the Genie and wished to be a prince. What would happen if the truth came out? Kurt didn't want to lose him now because of some stupid law.

Blaine opened his mouth to speak but Kurt spoke faster. "This is _Prince_ Devon, father." Kurt said looking pointedly between his dad and Blaine.

Blaine looked at Kurt with a small grateful smile but then he shook his head. "I can't." He glanced at the Genie who somehow looked hopeful and a little upset at the same time.

"I'm not a prince." Blaine said. "I wished to be one, but that went away when William got all of that power, he made me… just Blaine again."

"Blaine?" Burt said. "And who is Blaine?"

"A poor orphan." Blaine answered. "I'm no prince. I… I live on the streets. I only wished to be a prince, not to trick you but because…" He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a long breath. "Because I love your son so much." He opened his eyes again and looked at Kurt giving him a little helpless shrug. "I'm sorry Kurt."

Kurt shook his head, trying to hold back tears. He didn't care who Blaine was, he only needed him to be a prince so they could be together. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter to me, you were always just… _you_ to me and I love you."

"But you're not a prince." The Sultan said.

"Dad please." Kurt said, imploring his father with his eyes.

"I can't be something I'm not." Blaine shook his head, sounding broken. "I… don't want to say goodbye to you Kurt, but-"

Kurt didn't wait for him to say anything more, instead he rushed to Blaine and then Blaine was in his arms again. Blaine tilted his face and captured Kurt's lips in a kiss. Kurt whimpered into it and clung to Blaine, bunching the cloth of his vest in his hands. Blaine had his hands on Kurt's neck and in his hair holding him as close as possible. They gasped desperately clinging to each other, it was like they both were afraid this would be the last kiss they ever shared.

When they broke apart Kurt couldn't keep his eyes off of Blaine even as Blaine backed up away from him. He watched as he turned to the Genie.

"And now to do what I should have done before." Blaine walked to where the Genie's lamp was laying on the floor and lifted it towards the Genie. The Genie watched him with wide eyes.

"Genie, for my third wish…"

"You don't have too." The Genie said.

"Blaine _please_." Kurt added.

Blaine closed his misty eyes like a man about to jump off a cliff. "Genie! I wish you free!"

There was no rumble of the ground no flash of light, nothing big or loud and meant to impress. Instead the Genie just floated up in the air a few feet and then the gold cuffs on his wrist popped off and fell to the floor with a clang. The Genie spun in the air and then was slowly placed down on the ground.

He looked different. It was still obviously the same person, gold earrings, dark strip of hair going down his head, broad chest and muscular arms, but now his flesh was a dark golden tan. He looked human.

The Genie looked down at his hands and then patted his body. "Oh my god…" He said and then looked up at Blaine. "Quick! Wish for something! Anything!"

"I… Um… Okay." Blaine said and smiled. "Genie, I wish for the Nile!"

"NO!" The Genie shouted at him. "Ha! No. Nope, no way man!" And then he held his stomach and started to laugh heartily.

"So you're not a Genie anymore?" Blaine asked.

"Doesn't seem like it." The Genie said with a big smile.

Blaine crossed his arms and tilted his head, "Then what should I call you?"

"Puck." The Genie answered holding out his hand. "You can just call me Puck."

The two men looked at each other for a moment then Blaine ignored his hand and just gave him a strong hug instead.

"I'm so happy for you." Blaine said as he pulled away.

Kurt wanted to be happy; he could see that something wonderful had just happened, but the Genie's freedom meant that Kurt was going to lose the man he loved. He hated to interrupt, but he could stand silent any longer.

"What happens now?" He hated how soft and vulnerable his voice came out.

Blaine looked at him and then glanced at the Sultan. Burt's face was unreadable.

"You have to marry a prince." Blaine said ,his voice scratchy.

Kurt shook his head. "I won't. I won't do it. I was never going to marry someone I didn't love. And I love you Blaine."

Blaine hung his head and ran his fingers through his curly hair. "Kurt… I " His voice broke, "I don't..."

Kurt's heart plummeted. He knew there was nothing Blaine could do, nothing he could do, but this couldn't really be goodbye.

Burt cleared his throat and Blaine, the Genie, and Kurt all turned to look at him.

"Do you know why that law was set?" The Sultan asked and the three of them just blinked at him. "It was to strengthen relations between kingdoms and ensure that no ruler had to rule alone."

He took his turban off and rubbed his hand over his head. "It seems to me after years of William controlling me what this kingdom needs is to strengthen _itself_. Our relations with other nations are fine, it is my people who need help. And who better to help them than you Kurt?"

Burt looked at his son with pride. "You remind me of your mom, strong and brave and loving." He then turned to Blaine. "And you are good, and honest and you love my son, don't you?"

"Very much." Blaine answered his voice almost hoarse with hope.

"Well who better to help Kurt reach the people than one of them?"

"What…" Kurt started, it sounded like his dad was saying… but if he let his hopes rise now only to be crushed he wouldn't be able to bear it. "What are you saying dad?"

"I'm saying that law is archaic and well, dumb. And I'm Sultan aren't I? I say that from this day forth the Royal Heir can marry whomever he chooses!"

Kurt heard the Genie whoop in joy, but Kurt couldn't seem to even move. After all this time of fighting against this law his dad was actually going to change it and that meant… that meant… Kurt turned his stunned gaze from his father to Blaine who looked back at him with an equally overwhelmed look on his face.

"Blaine!" Kurt all but shouted. "I chose Blaine!" He laughed as he rushed to Blaine who caught him in his arms spinning him around.

"I chose you." Kurt said as he slid back to the ground. He glanced at Blaine's lips and then kissed him. This kiss was the opposite of their last kiss, it was slow and sweet and perfect, without fear or desperation, their lips moving together easily.

Burt chuckled and then walked over to Puck. "I bet you have a lot of stories." He said, hand on his back. "Why don't we give these two a moment and you can tell me about yourself."

Puck and the Sultan walked away leaving Kurt and Blaine to themselves.

"I love you Blaine." Kurt whispered against his skin.

"I love you." Blaine said his golden eyes sparkling.

"Do we get to tell Mike that you get to be Sultan now, instead of him?" Kurt said with a wink.

"I never did this just to become Sultan." Blaine said in a rush. "I hope you know that. I just wanted a chance with you."

"Of course I do." Kurt said. He placed a sort soft kiss to Blaine's cheek. "But I still think we are going to be so good for the Kingdom together."

Blaine smiled so big his eyes scrunched up and he sighed happily like he just didn't know what to say.

Kurt rested his forehead against Blaine's and thought of all the good thing could do together, thought of all the things they would share and the time they had. He brought their lips together again, he finally had Blaine as his own and he was never going to lose him again.


	14. Epilogue

Blaine was scrambling around his room one shoe on and looking for the other. He was throwing pillows off the chaise and ducking under the bed.

"Calm down Blaine." Mike said from where he was lounging on a sofa. "It's just a shoe and you use to go barefoot all the time."

Blaine looked up from where he was kneeling by the bed. "I can't go _barefoot _to this. We are meeting with delegates today. It's important."

Mike sighed and shook his head in mock disapproval. "Palace life has changed you Blaine." He said with a smirk.

Blaine raised his eyebrows and looked at Mike who was laying on the sofa in fine clothes, munching on grapes and licking juice off of his fingers.

"Really? I've changed? Because I hardly recognize you."

Mike sat up and laughed. "I guess things have gone well for both of us then."

One of the first things Blaine had done once he and Kurt got rid of William was to go find Mike. Mike had berated him for making him worry so much, but calmed down a little when Blaine told him the story of all that had happened.

Mike was completely appeased when Blaine asked him to come live in the palace with him. Mike was Blaine's adviser and everyone in the palace immediately loved him. Not that he was a lot of help right now.

Blaine sighed and sat on the bed his head in his hands looking defeated.

"Woah, Blaine. What's wrong?" Mike asked seeing that his friend was actually upset.

"This is a big deal Mike." Blaine said looking up at him. 'The Sultan wants me to help lead the negotiations. I need to show him and Kurt that I can do this. That they can trust me."

"They do trust you."

"I just don't want to let them down."

Mikes stood up from the sofa and walked over to Blaine, sitting down next to him. "You won't. They wouldn't ask you to do this if you couldn't do it."

Blaine stuck his barefoot in the air. "Really? Because it I can't even dress myself."

Just then they both up looked towards the door where Kurt was poking his head in. "Are you ready Blaine?"

"He is having a crisis." Mike answered for him and Blaine shot him a glare.

Kurt walked into the room looking regal and graceful and perfect like always. Blaine almost groaned. He would never be as much of a ruler as Kurt was just naturally. "What kind of crisis?"

"I just..." Blaine huffed out a breath. "I can't find my other shoe."

Kurt arched an eyebrow. "When I first met you someone was about to chop off my hand and you took it in stride. You're telling me a shoe is a crisis?"

Blaine glared at Mike again. "No. It isn't that... I just..." Blaine didn't finish, not knowing what to say.

Kurt just nodded slowly, his eyebrows bunched like he understood what Blaine wasn't say. Then walked over to the sofa that Mike had just come from, and picked up a shoe he must have been sitting on, he held it up in the air for them both to see.

"Is this what you're looking for?"

"Oops." Mike said looking sheepish while Blaine just flopped back on the bed in frustration.

"Mike, you know Mercedes is showing the new girl Tina the market today." Kurt said. "You wouldn't want to help be tour guide would you?"

"Tina?" Mike said jumping up from the bed. "I could do that, yeah!" He looked back at Blaine. "Unless you want me to say."

"No, you've helped enough."

Mike smiled and spun around, running and then sliding smoothly across the tile floor until he was out of the room.

Kurt sat down next to Blaine and handed him the shoe as Blaine sat up and put it on.

"Are you nervous?" Kurt asked casually, glancing at Blaine with kind, earnest eyes.

"No. Of course not." Blaine answered quickly and then stopped and breathed deeply, rubbing the back of his neck. "Actually I'm terrified that I'm going to mess this up."

"You aren't going to mess this up." Kurt said.

"I might. I mean, who am I to act like some kind of leader?" He looked down at his feet "I'm just a street rat who is _way _out of his depths."

Kurt cupped Blaine's face with both of his hands making him turn towards him. "You aren't a street rat, you never were. Even when you lived on the streets you were much more than that." He brought their forehead together, still holding Blaine's face, thumbs tracing his cheekbones.

"Do you trust me?" Kurt asked.

Blaine's eyes widened a little before he breathed out. "Always."

"Then trust me on this. You're nervous and that's fine. I get nervous when my dad puts me in charge of things too, but you're ready for this. You've had months of training and practice, you are ready to take the lead in one of these meetings. And if you don't feel ready then you just have to trust me. If you start floundering just look at me, and remember that I trust you and I love you."

Blaine smiled and moved forward the inch it took to bring his kiss Kurt. Kurt parted his lips and kissed Blaine back, his tongue swiping across Blaine's lip and gently into his mouth as Blaine brought his hands up to hold Kurt's waist.

"I love you." Blaine said as they eventually broke apart. "And I do trust you."

Kurt smiled happily, his cheeks flushed and his eyes dancing. He stood from the bed and held out his hand.

"You are going to be great and show everyone you're ready to lead."

Blaine took his hand and stood.

"You've already done so much good. The people love you and things are better for the kingdom."

"_We've_ done so much good." Blaine clarified. "You are an amazing leader. We're good together."

"And this time next we're going to be married." Kurt said beaming.

Blaine took Kurt's other hand and spun them both around in a circle making Kurt laugh before he pulled him close to his chest. "That's all I really want."

They leaned in for another kiss, but then turned as they heard the doors opened again. Burt stood there looking awkwardly down at the floor and then up at the ceiling, obviously embarrassed to have interrupted them.

Kurt leaned in to whisper in Blaine ears. "You think he'd remember to knock, this isn't the worst position he's cough us in."

Blaine flushed, both at the memory of Burt walking in on them and at the thought of what they had been doing and Kurt... like that. They may have separate rooms in the palace before the wedding, but neither of them spent many nights sleeping without the other. Which was definitely something Blaine didn't need to focus on if he was going to get through this meeting.

"The delegation has reached the palace doors." Burt said. "Are you two ready for this?"

Blaine and Kurt looked at each other and smiled.

"We're ready." Blaine answered turning to the Sultan and then following him out with Kurt hanging on to his hand. With Kurt's hand in his Blaine felt like he could do anything.


End file.
